Therapeutic Communication Techniques Flashcards
Giving Broad Openings
gives patient the freedom to choose what they want to talk about
Using Silence
silence encourages patient to organize thoughts and put them into words
allows patient to think about the significance of events, thoughts, and feelings
Accepting
conveys attitude of understanding and willingness to interact
Giving Recognition
acknowledging and indicating awareness is better than complimenting which reflects the nurse’s judgment
Offering Self
willingness to spend time with patient and show interest on an unconditional basis promotes patient’s self-worth
Offering General Leads
offers patient encouragmenet to continue with minimal input from the nurse
Placing the Event in Time or Sequence
encouraging patient to identify sequence of events facilitates organizing one’s thoughts about their experiences
Making Observations
verbalizing observations about a patient’s behavior or appearance encourages them to develop awareness of how they are perceived by others
Encouraging Description of Perceptions
asking patient to verbalize perceptions facilitates the patient’s ability to develop awareness and understanding
Encouraging Comparison
asking patient to compare similarities and differences in ideas or experiences helps them recognize life experiences that tend to recur and that they are changeable
Restating
repeating the main idea of what the patient said lets them know that you have understood them
Reflecting
questions and feelings are referred back to the patient so that they are actively engaged in problem-solving
Focusing
taking notice of a single idea or even a single workd encourages specific discussions about a relevant issue
Exploring
when nurse hears the patient mention an issue that seems relevant, the nurse asks the patient to explore this further
Seeking Clarification and Validation
striving to explain vague statements and searching for mutual understanding facilitates understanding for both patient and nurse
Presenting Reality
when a patient has a misperception of environment, the nurse defines reality by expressing his perception without challenging the patient’s perceptions
Voicing Doubt
expressing uncertainty about validity of patient’s perceptions is often used with patients experiencing delusional thinking
Verbalizing the Implied
putting into words what the patient has only implied is a technique that can be helpful with patients experiencing impaired verbal communication
Attempting to Translate Words into Feelings
when patient has difficulty identifying feelings, the nurse tries to deathblow what has been said and find clues to the underlying true feelings
Formulating a Plan of Action
encouraging patient to identify a plan for behavior change promotes developing better coping skills
