Psych Therapeutic Communication

Question 1

What are the goals of therapeutic communication?

Answer 1

• Establish therapeutic relationship
• Identify patient’s most important concerns; assess patients’ perceptions
• Facilitate expression of emotion
• Teach self care skills
• Recognize needs and implement interventions

Question 2

When is the space for therapeutic communication most comfortable?

Answer 2

3-6 feet apart

Question 3

What are the 5 types of touch?

Answer 3

• Functional/professional
• Social/polite
• Friendship/warmth
• Love/intimacy
• Sexual/arousal

Question 4

Functional/Professional Touch

Answer 4

used in examinations or procedures such as when a nurse touches a client to perform an assessment like skin turgor

Question 5

Social/Polite Touch

Answer 5

used in greetings such as handshakes and the “air kisses” some women use to greet acquaintances, or when a gentle hand guides someone in the right direction

Question 6

Friendship/Warmth Touch

Answer 6

involves a hug in greeting, an arm thrown around the shoulder, or the back slapping some men use to greet friends or family

Question 7

Love/Intimacy Touch

Answer 7

involves tight hugs, kisses between lovers or close relatives

Question 8

Sexual/Arousal Touch

Answer 8

used by lovers

Question 9

What must the nurse use to evaluate touch?

Answer 9

Touch is based on the client’s preference, history, culture, and needs

Question 10

Active Listening

Answer 10

refraining from other internal mental activities and concentrating exclusively on what the patient says

Question 11

Active Observation

Answer 11

watching the speaker’s nonverbal actions as he or she communicates

Question 12

What does Active listening and observations help the nurse to do?

Answer 12

• Recognize the client’s most important issue
• Know what questions to ask
• Use of therapeutic communication techniques
• Prevents jumping to conclusions
• Objectively respond to message

Question 13

Concrete Messages

Answer 13

• words are explicit and need no interpretation
• clear, direct, and easy to understand
• elicit more accurate responses

Question 14

Abstract Messages

Answer 14

unclear patterns of words that often contain figures of speech that are difficult to interpret

Question 15

Broad Openings

Answer 15

allowing the client to take the initiative in introducing the topic

Question 16

Focusing

Answer 16

concentrating on a single point

Question 17

Giving Information

Answer 17

making available the facts that the client’s need

Question 18

Making Observations

Answer 18

verbalizing what the nurse perceives

Question 19

Reflecting

Answer 19

directing the client actions, thoughts, and feelings back to client

Question 20

Restating

Answer 20

repeating the main idea expressed

Question 21

Silence

Answer 21

absence of verbal communication, which provides time for the client to put thoughts or feelings into words, to gain composure, or to continue talking

Question 22

What are some nontherapeutic communication techniques you should avoid?

Answer 22

Advising, belittling, challenging, probing, reassuring, etc…

Question 23

Advising

Answer 23

BAD

telling the client what to do

Question 24

Belittling

Answer 24

BAD

misjudging the degree of the client’s discomfort

Question 25

Disagreeing

Answer 25

BAD

opposing the clients ideas

Question 26

Disapproving

Answer 26

BAD

denouncing the client’s behavior or ideas

Question 27

Giving Approval

Answer 27

BAD

sanctioning the client’s behavior or ideas

Question 28

Challenging

Answer 28

BAD

demanding proof from the client

Question 29

Probing

Answer 29

BAD

persistent questioning of the client

Question 30

Reassuring

Answer 30

BAD

indicating there is no reason for anxiety or other feelings of discomfort

Question 31

What are three facial expressions to look for?

Answer 31

Expressive
Impassive
Confusing

Question 32

Expressive Facial Expression

Answer 32

portrays the person’s moment by moment thoughts, feelings, and needs
-may be evident even when the person does not want to express themselves

Question 33

Impassive Face

Answer 33

face is frozen into an emotionless deadpan expression similar to a mask

Question 34

Confusing Face

Answer 34

expression that is the opposite of what the person wants to convey

Question 35

Vocal Cues

Answer 35

nonverbal sound signals transmitted along with the content

Question 36

Eye Contact

Answer 36

looking into the other person’s eyes during communication, used to assess the other person and environment and to indicate whose turn it is to speak
-increases during listening and decreases during speaking

Question 37

Nondirective Role

Answer 37

in this type of therapeutic communication, use broad openings and open-ended questions to collect information and to help the client identify and discuss concerns

Question 38

Directive Role

Answer 38

Used when the client is suicidal, expressing a crisis, or out of touch with reality by asking direct yes/no questions and using problem solving to help develop ne coping mechanisms to deal with present issues

Question 39

Assertive Communication

Answer 39

the ability to express positive and negative ideas and feelings in an open, honest, and direct way
-focus on “I” statements

Question 40

Four types of responses

Answer 40

Aggressive
Passive-aggressive
Passive
Assertive