Therapeutic Communication Flashcards
What are the components of a therapeutic relationship?
Trust, Genuine interest, empathy, acceptance, and positive regard
How can trust be given in a therapeutic relationship?
By showing interest, caring, understanding, honesty, and consistency
What is empathy? What is sympathy?
Empathy: Understanding what the pt feels
Sympathy: Feeling sorry for the patient
Should sympathy be shown in a therapeutic realationship?
No, instead empathy should be shown
What is therapeutic self?
Just being yourself to help with the relationship and communication with your patient
What is the Johari tool? What do the 4 quadrants represent? What is the end goal?
A tool used to learn about oneself
4 Quadrants are: 1. Open/public self, 2. Blind/unaware, 3. Hidden/private self, and 4. Unknown
The goal: to move qualities from quadrants 2,3,4 into quadrant 1
What are the different types of relationships?
Social, Intimate, and therapeutic
What is a Social releationship?
Used for friendship, to socialize, share ideas. Usually, friends or coworkers
What is in intimate relationship?
Emotional commitment to another person. Individual needs are met. Spouse or partner
What is a therapeutic relationship?
Focuses on needs, experiences, feelings, ideas of a patient only
What model is used to show how a therapeutic relationship works?
Peplau’s model
What are the 3 Phases of Peplau’s model?
Orientation, Working (identification and exploration), and Termination
What is the orientation phase of a therapeutic realtionship?
First time nurse and pt meet. Roles are established along with trust. Termination phase will begin by discussing goals. pt problems are identified
What is the Working phase of a therapeutic relationship? There is a possibility of what?
Broken down into Identification and Exploration:
Identification is where the pt’s issues or concerns are identified.
Exploration is when you examine pts thoughts and feelings, and start working toward goals
There is a possibility for transference or countertransference
What is transference and what is countertransference?
Transference is when someone (patient) transfers their feelings onto someone else (nurse)
Countertransference is when a nurse transfers their feelings onto a patient
What is the termination phase in a therapeutic relationship? How may the patient feel?
When patient’s problems are resolved, and the relationship ends. Patient may feel a loss and try to avoid termination
What types of behaviors should a nurse not have that could ruin a therapeutic relationship with a patient?
Inappropriate boundaries, feelings of sympathy, nonacceptance, avoidance
What are some roles a nurse may have in a therapeutic relationship?
Teacher, Caregiver, Advocate, or possibly a parent surrogate. Relationship must maintain therapeutic no matter the role
What is communication? What are the types of communication?
Communication is the exchange of information. There is verbal communication and nonverbal communication
What is verbal communication? Ex?
Anything that is spoken.
Examples would be telling someone about our beliefs, values, understanding, or insult
What is nonverbal communication?
Nonverbal communication is the all the other ways we use to communicate, like our body language, tone of voice, pitch of voice, posture, facial expressions, eye contact etc
What is a congruent message? What is an incongruent message?
A congruent message is when the content of the message is the same as the process
An incongruent message is when the message is conflicting
What are some goals of therapeutic communication?
Identify pts concerns or feelings, teach pt and family, etc
What are proxemics? What is that for a nurse?
They are distance zones from our patient and for a nurse it should be 3-6 ft apart
How can touch be useful in a therapeutic relationship? How can it cause problems?
The use of touch can be used as a gesture of supportiveness and friendship. While others may see it has an invasion of privacy or a sign of intimacy. It will differ from pt to pt based on things like cultural factors
How can the use of eye contact be useful in a therapeutic relationship? How can it cause problems?
The use of eye contact can sometimes be relaxing for a patient and lets them know you are listening. It can also make a patient feel awkward due to cultural differences
Active listening is a big part of therapeutic communication, what does it mean to be actively listening?
Actively listening is concentrating on just what the patient is saying
Active observation is also a big part of therapeutic communication, what does it mean to be actively observing?
Active observation is focusing on the nonverbal actions of the patient
What are clarifying techniques and what does that consist of?
Clarifying techniques are used to reduce the number of misunderstandings between
patient and nurse.
It consists of paraphrasing, restating, reflecting, exploring, and feedback
Interpretating of signals or cues can either be overt or covert, what does that mean?
Overt is clear messages, direct
Covert is vague messages, indirect
What is spirituality?
A personal journey to self-discovered and connection with oneself
What is assertive communication?
Expression of positive and negative feelings in an open, direct, honest way. Does not mean Aggressive
What are some factors that can affect communication?
Physical (mood), Social (cultural differences), cognitive, environmental, and relationship (if there is an equal or unequal relationship (symmetrical or complementary relationship)
What is a symmetrical relationship?
participants are equal
What is a complementary relationship?
difference in power
What is some non-effective communication that leads to a nontherapeutic relationship with the patient?
Advising, belittling, asking too many questions, asking closed-ended questions, and reassuring
