Aims and objectives
To describe the nursing student–patient relationship in terms of three types of relationships—mechanistic, authoritative and facilitative—and analyse the factors related to the type of relationship.

Background
As future professionals, nursing students have a central role in facilitating patient autonomy while working in partnership with patients. Supporting student–patient relationship throughout the nursing education may result in positive outcomes for both students and patients.

Design
A cross-sectional study.

Methods
The data were collected from a convenience sample of Finnish nursing students using a structured web survey. Statistical data analysis was performed using chi-square test, two-sample t test, one-way analysis of variance and multinomial logistic regression. The STROBE Statement — Checklist for cross-sectional studies was used (Appendix S1).

Results
Students most often assessed their relationship with the patients as facilitative, followed by authoritative and mechanistic relationships. The results revealed three predictors for facilitative relationship: students’ older age, long enough contact time with the patient and higher competence in ensuring quality. In authoritative and facilitative relationships, students had significantly more positive perceptions of the contextual factors and consequences of the relationship and higher ratings of self-assessed competence levels than students in a mechanistic relationship.

Conclusions
It seems that the facilitative student–patient relationship is connected to the professional competence of nursing students, especially in the area of ensuring the quality of patient care. Therefore, sustaining clinical learning environments and pedagogical approaches that value and support facilitative relationships in students’ clinical learning should be enhanced.

Relevance to clinical practice
Efforts aimed at contributing to facilitative student–patient relationships have a crucial role in shaping students’ competency and in promoting high-quality patient care. Thus, supervision of students organised around establishing mutual student–patient relationships with the preceptors acting as facilitators will benefit both students and patients.