Chapter 24

Question 1

Define communication

Answer 1

• Lifelong learning process
• Ongoing, dynamic series of events that involves the transmission of meaning from sender to receiver
• Many forms: speaking, gestures, art/music, books, facial expressions, etc.
• Multidimensional

Question 2

Communication allows the nurse to…

Answer 2

Collect data, educate, accept/trust, share information, have “special moments”

Question 3

Special needs patients

Answer 3

• Depressed, sad, lonely
• Silent, difficulty expressing feelings
• Anxious, worried
• Speak and/or understand little English
• Sight, hearing, and/or speech issues
• Confused, disoriented

Question 4

6 levels of communication

Answer 4

1. Intrapersonal: occurs within you (self talk, inner thoughts)
2. Interpersonal: one on one, face to face (most frequently used)
3. Transpersonal: regarding spiritual or religious beliefs
4. Small group: when a small number of people meet (goal oriented)
5. Public: interaction with an audience
6. Electronic: use of technology to create ongoing relationships with patients and their health care team

Question 5

Circular Transaction Model

Answer 5

1. Referent: motivates one person to communicate with another (stimulus)
2. Sender and receiver: person who encodes and delivers a message and person who receives and decodes the message
3. Message: content of the communication
4. Channels: means of sending and receiving messages through visual, auditory, and tactile senses
5. Feedback: the message a sender receives from the receiver (indicates whether the receiver understood the meaning of the senders message)
6. Interpersonal variables: factors within the sender and receiver that influence communication
7. Environment: the setting for the interaction

Question 6

4 forms of communication

Answer 6

• Verbal: spoken or written
• Non-verbal: 5 senses, everything not verbal
• Meta: all factors that influence communication
• Symbols: convey meaning to others

Question 7

Therapeutic communication

Answer 7

• Communication techniques that encourage the expression of feelings and ideas and convey acceptance and respect
• Encourage the patient, empathy, share observations, hope, humor, feelings, using touch/silence (comforting)

Question 8

Non-Therapeutic communication

Answer 8

• Communication techniques that hinder or damage professional relationships
• Discourage further expression of feelings and ideas and engender negative responses or behavior in others
• Negative
• Barrier to effective nurse-patient communication

Question 9

What not to do…

Answer 9

• Ask personal questions
• Give personal opinions
• Give automatic responses
• Give false reassurance
• Sympathy

Question 10

Active listening

Answer 10

• Being attentive to what a patient is saying both verbally and non-verbally
• Facilitates patient communication, enhances trust, shows acceptance and respect

Question 11

What is SOLER?

Answer 11

• Acronym for several non-verbal skills that facilitate attentive/active listening

Question 12

What does SOLER stand for?

Answer 12

S: sit facing the patient
O: open position (posture, arms/legs uncrossed) 
L: lean toward the patient 
E: eye contact
R: relax (be comfortable, not rushed)

Question 13

Professional nursing relationships

Answer 13

Knowledge/understanding of human behavior, communication and commitment to ethical behavior

Question 14

4 professional nursing relationships

Answer 14

• Nurse-patient
• Nurse-family
• Nurse-community
• Nurse-health care team

Question 15

What is SBAR?

Answer 15

• Communication technique - tool for all types of communication hand offs
• Provide framework for structure and accurate communication among health care providers that fosters patient safety

Question 16

What does SBAR stand for?

Answer 16

S: situation
B: background
A: assessment
R: recommendation