Tbe presence of a contract requires tbat the relabonsbip
be obligatory, tbat there is commitment of all partners and
that there is involvement throughout the processes of
assessment, goal setting, plannmg, lmplementabon and
evaluabon This is not tbe case m patient participabon as
involvement only occurs m some of the phases of the
health care process Furthermore, as there is involvement
throughout all the health care process when a pabent partnership
exists, full sharing of knowledge, skill and experience
IS necessitated to close, rather tban to narrow, tbe
mformabon-knowledge gap Fmally, since pabent partnership
IS based on equality witbm a relabonsbip (Quill
1983) the nurse must abnegate all power and control as
opposed to only a degree of it Frol£mdefa7 (1981) confirm
this by stabng that withm a partnership each partner needs
to have equal control