IR Recap

Question 1

What are the main skills in communication?

Answer 1

Attending
Understanding
Exploration
Reassurance
Closure

Question 2

What does “Attending’ mean?

Answer 2

Body language and initial impressions

SOLER: consider that you are not always going to be seated in this environment. Eyes available

Demonstrates that you are listening

Question 3

What do you need to remember during introductions?

Answer 3

Professional
Body language
Ongoing and throughout the placement with clients and MDT
Name and role

Question 4

What does ‘Understanding’ mean?

Answer 4

Being present and available

Develop a rapport

Active listening techniques: restating, paraphrasing and reflecting feelings.

Summarising

Validating their concerns

Question 5

How can you talk to a patient that has major depression who has attempted suicide?

Answer 5

A patient with a diagnosis of major depression who has attempted suicide says to the nurse, “I should have died! I’ve always been a failure. Nothing ever goes right for me.” Which response demonstrates therapeutic communication?

A) “You have everything to live for.”
B) “Why do you see yourself as a failure?”
C) “Feeling like this is all part of being depressed”
D) “You’ve been feeling like a failure for a while?

Question 6

What does ‘Exploration’ mean?

Answer 6

Questions appropriate to the situation

Open questions

Gentle commands: Can you tell me more?

Use of silence is effective

Avoid the Why question.

Question 7

What does ‘Reassurance’ mean?

Answer 7

Being present and spending time is reassuring.

Drawing on patients strengths and resources.

Avoid false reassurance.

Question 8

What does ‘Concluding’ mean?

Answer 8

Let clients know when the time on the ward will finish. With younger children give them a lot of notice.

This is a good time to summarise what has happened during the admission and good strategies moving forward.

A warm farewell wishing them well in an authentic manner.