therapeutic relationship
the caring relationship between a nurse and a client that is based on mutual trust and respect, sensitivity, and nurturing
therapeutic relationship helps the patient to..
overcome temporary stress,
to get along with other people,
to adjust to situations that cannot be altered,
and to overcome any psychological blocks that may stand in the way of self realizations
therapeutic relationships promote..
- understanding
- can help establish a constructive relationship between a nurse and the patient
Self awareness as a nurse
- self awareness is a prerequisite to effective communication
- must be aware of his or her own communication style and impact it has on how others perceive us
facilitative techniques
- summarizing
- offering general leads
- placing event in time or sequence
- sharing your observations
- reflecting thoughts/feelings
- seeking clarification
- effective use of silence
- being specific and tentative
- using OPEN ended questions
- using touch
- paraphrasing
- seeking validation
- presenting reality
non-facilitative techniques
- giving approval or disapproval
- sharing advice or an opinion
- asking “why” questions
- false reassurance
- changing the subject
- CLOSE ended questions
- defensiveness
open-ended questions
“How are you feeling?”“and can you tell me about that…?”
close-ended questions
“Do you have a fever?” -wanting only a yes or no question
verbal and nonverbal relationship
-note what message is being conveyed by each, are they congruent, are they consistent with cultural norms, and are they conveying the intended information-always validate your perceptions with the patient
nonverbal relationship that influences communication
- physical appearance and dress
- body posture and movement
- touch-facial expression
- eye behavior
Physical attending
-manner of being present to another or being with another-listening is what an individual does while attending
techniques for physical attending
- most important: listening
- face the other person squarely
- adopt an open posture
- lean toward the person
- maintain good eye contact
- try to be relatively relaxed; sit when possible-acknowledge the patient (nod, hmm, etc..)
psychological attending
- LISTEN with intention/presence
- don’t be more anxious than the patient
- remain focused on client, not yourself
- don’t socialize
- listen to the whole message; verbal and nonverbal. determine the essence of the message
- identify themes and patterns
attentive listening
aka mindful listening
- listening actively
- using all senses
- it is the most important technique in therapeutic communication and is the basis for all other techniques
- it is an active process that requires energy and concentration
