Therapeutic communication

Therapeutic communication is a style of conversation between the nurse

and the patient in which there is a specific purpose or intent.

The use of jargon can become a barrier because the patient may not
understand and would be unwilling to disclose ignorance of terms.
Habitual use makes health professionals less sensitive to persons who may
not be familiar with the terms.

Social conversations establish that the nurse considers the patient a person
in his or her own right. Such conversation is valuable for the nurse to
discover information about the patient as a person and for the patient to
discover information about the nurse as a person.

Speaking in a low tone and bending near the patient is a more effective
way to communicate with the hearing-impaired.

Reading the body language that says Im not fine, the nurse should enter
the room and be seated to demonstrate willingness to listen.

Speaking to the patient from a public space and requesting permission to

do a procedure is the best approach. All other options indicate, by the
nurses nonverbal communication, that permission is not really required
before insertion.

Gestures and/or symbols are helpful for persons with receptive aphasia
because they cannot recognize the spoken or written word.

The nurse needs to be aware that African Americans, particularly older

adults, limit eye contact as a sign of respect.

Patient empathetic listening is the key to maintaining good communication

with the older adult.

Many older adults have an altered sense of time. Waiting makes them
more anxious. Responding in a defensive or grudging manner is not
effective for the nurse-patient relationship.

Use of empathetic touch is a message of comfort. The other options do

not address the patients distress relative to unrelieved pain.

Using a formal address is a respectful way to start a conversation with a

new patient. If the patient prefers to be called something else, he or she
can inform the nurse of that desire.
Clear, concise information in words that the patient can understand is the
most effective method for providing information.

The diminished, overwhelmed patient will give minimal answers to direct

questions if the technique is overused. The technique is best used to
obtain factual information.

Identifying evidence in a nonaccusatory manner establishes the point of

discrepancy. Belittling the patient or quoting policy is not confrontation.

Open-ended questions allow the patient to give more elaborate answers.

Clarifying an unclear statement with the use of an open-ended query is

helpful to providing better communication.

It is estimated that only about 7% of communication is transmitted by

verbal methods. Nonverbal communication is the most effective method of
communicating.

Empathetic listening is a skill that helps the nurse interpret what the
patient is saying. A nurse has not really listened until the nurse has
understood what was intended by the speaker.

The nurse using an interpreter should focus on the patient and the
patients emotional tones, not the interpreter. The patient should be
encouraged to ask questions. The interpreter should not paraphrase.

The nurse should gather all the pertinent information to address the
residents questions. The message should be direct and simple, and time
should be allowed for the resident to react. Follow-up plans should be
considered.