Relational Practice

Question 1

What is relational practice?*

Answer 1

Refers to interpersonal communication skills, as well as the means of building and sustaining health promoting relationships with clients, families, colleagues, and others

Question 2

What are the 10 relational practice competencies?*

Answer 2

1. Authenticity
2. Active listening
3. Self-awareness
4. Empathy
5. Rapport
6. Trust
7. Self-disclosure & confidentiality
8. Mutuality & intentionality
9. Honoring complexity & ambiguity
10. Reflective practice

Question 3

Define authenticity and active listening*

Answer 3

Authenticity - true to yourself, actively present and genuine in how you communicate and interact with patients

Active listening - being present both physically emotionally, listening to both verbal and nonverbal, and creating a safe space

Question 4

Define self-awareness and empathy*

Answer 4

Self-awareness - meeting the needs of the client rather than your own needs; developed through self-reflection

Empathy - ability to emotionally and cognitively understand and communicate the experiences and feelings from another’s point of view

Question 5

Define rapport and trust*

Answer 5

Rapport - development of trust and understanding within the nurse-client relationship

Trust - evolutionary process and attitude in which an individual relies with confidence on another

Question 6

Define self-disclosure & confidentiality and mutuality & intentionality*

Answer 6

Self-disclosure & confidentiality - disclosure for the purpose of enhancing the therapeutic outcome for the client; safeguarding information and not sharing without consent

Mutuality & intentionality - finding common ground, a shared sense of understanding; actively choosing to care, ideally motivated by intrinsic desire to improve client’s experience and outcomes

Question 7

Define honouring complexity & ambiguity and reflective practice*

Answer 7

Honoring complexity & ambiguity - continually assess, adapt, evaluate, and revise understanding of the client’s lived experience

Reflective practice - process of mentally reviewing, analyzing, and comprehending events, situations, or actions and their meaning

Question 8

What are the four phases of a therapeutic relationship? Describe each*

Answer 8

1. Pre-orientation phase - prior to meeting the client; may receive shift report, review client chart or other documents
2. Orientation - self-awareness, first impression, building trust, consent, and expectations
3. Working phase - collaboration with client toward established goals
4. Termination phase

Question 9

List the 7 components that improve/enhance therapeutic communication and describe each*

Answer 9

1. open-ended questions - Can you describe ___ ?
2. clarification - When you said ___, did you mean?
3. probing - asking further questions to gain more detail
4. paraphrasing - Is it fair to say ___?
5. sharing observations - I see you’re sweating. Are you comfortable?
6. silence
7. summarizing - In summary ___

Question 10

What 7 components hinder or are representations of non-therapeutic communication?*

Answer 10

1. Giving advice
2. Close-ended or leading questions
3. Changing the subject
4. Automatic responses (false reassurance or cliche sympathy)
5. Expressing approval or disapproval
6. Belittling feelings
7. Defensive responses

Question 11

Define fitness to practice*

Answer 11

All the qualities and capabilities of an
individual relevant to his or her capability to
practice as a nurse, including freedom from
any cognitive, physical, psychological, or
emotional condition or a dependence on
alcohol or drugs, that impair his or her
ability to practice nursing.