Introduction. Chronic renal disease is a complex disease, characterized by reduced kidney function. The most effective method of renal replacement treatment is kidney transplantation, which prolongs patients’ lives. This procedure, however, evokes a lot of positive and negative emotions. Developing a therapeutic relationship with the patient is a basis in the therapeutic process. Aim. The purpose of this study was to present the importance of the nurse–patient therapeutic relationship in therapy following kidney transplantation. Material and methods. This survey-based study was conducted from December 2017 to March 2018. The study sample contained 121 patients (59 women, 62 men) of the Clinic of Nephrology, Transplantology, and Internal Diseases, Independent Public Clinical Hospital no. 2, and the Ward of Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation, Independent Public Voivodeship Integrated Hospital in Szczecin. The research instrument employed in the study was a self-developed questionnaire including 25 closed-ended questions. Results. The majority of the surveyed assessed information provided by nurses on the rules of conduct binding in the ward as good and very good. 87.6% of the respondents claimed that the relationship with nurses gave a sense of safety, and 75.8% that it had reduced their fear. A vast majority of the respondents asserted that interpersonal relationships with nurses had improved their knowledge of disease. Conclusions. 1) The patients highly valued therapeutic relationships with nursing staff. 2) Age, sex, education, as well as the time from kidney transplantation and a diagnosis of the disease had an effect on the patients’ satisfaction with therapeutic relationships with nursing staff. 3) Information provided by nursing staff has a substantial impact on the feeling of safety and the reduction of fear in patients after kidney transplantation during hospitalization.

Key words: kidney transplantation, patient, nurse, therapeutic relationships.