Caritas Institute of Higher Education

School of Health Sciences

Bachelor of Nursing (Honours) Programme
2020-2021
NUR104 Fundamentals of Nursing I

Tutorial 1

25 Sep 2020; 1400-1700 (Gp S1-S9)

9 Oct 2020; 1400-1700 (Gp T1-T6)
Venue: Zoom (online class)

Learning objectives:
After this tutorial, students will be able to:
1. Distinguish between therapeutic and non-therapeutic communication
2. Apply therapeutic communication techniques in different scenarios
3. Relate the nurse’s roles in building up a therapeutic nurse-client relationship

Part A Getting familiar with therapeutic communication techniques

Read the scenario below, use the specific information in the scenario and suggest possible
examples which the student nurse may use in each therapeutic communication technique.

Scenario 1
While having a lunch break in the hospital, you notice that Mr. Wong, 30 years old, the
husband of your patient, is sitting on a bench and weeping.
You know that his wife is having an operation in the operation theatre due to a
traffic accident.
As a student nurse, you decide to approach and talk to him.

1. Suggest how you would use the following therapeutic communication techniques in your
conversation with Mr. Wong by giving relevant examples:
Therapeutic communication
Example
technique
1. Active listening
2. Offering self
3. Sharing observations
4. Providing general leads
5. Asking relevant questions
6. Sharing empathy
7. Giving information
8. Paraphrasing
9. Seeking clarification
10. Reflective listening
11. Focusing

Part B Identifying non-therapeutic communication

View the video provided on an interview of a nurse and a client, try to identify the non-
therapeutic communication inappropriately used by the nurse.

Part C Building up a therapeutic nurse-client relationship

View the video provided on an interview of a nurse and a client, critique the performance of
the nurse by using the Interview Checklist below.

Nurse-Client Relationship – Interview Checklist

Items Performance/Remarks
1. Preinteraction/Preparation
phase
 Determine the aim of the
conversation/interview
 Determine prior knowledge
required about the client’s situation
 Prepare the environment

 Prepare the client

2. Orientation phase

 Perform hand hygiene

 Verify the correct patient using two

identifiers
 Use appropriate nonverbal
behaviours (open, relaxed position,
eye contact, sit at eye level
 Explain the purpose of the
conversation/interview
 Identify the patient’s expectations;
observe patient’s nonverbal cues
 Formulate mutually agreed goals
3. Working phase

 Use therapeutic communication 

techniques
 Discuss and prioritize problem -
areas
 Help the patient express needs and -
feelings
4. Termination phase

 Summarise what was discussed and

goal(s) achieved
 Perform hand hygiene

 Document the procedure in the

patient’s record