Therapeutic Communication Techniques

Question 1

Active Listening/ Accepting

Answer 1

Verbal and nonverbal skills that conveys to the patient that the nurse is paying attention. Conveys regard and interest.

Question 2

Assisting in goal setting

Answer 2

asking clients to decide type of change needed

Question 3

Attempting to translate feelings

Answer 3

responds to the feelings expressed, not just the content

Question 4

empathizing

Answer 4

recognizing and acknowledging the clients feelings without losing objectivity

Question 5

encouraging comparisson

Answer 5

asking for similarities and differences among feelings, behaviors, and events

Question 6

encouraging decisions

Answer 6

asking the client to make a choice among options

Question 7

Using silence

Answer 7

gives the client the opportunity to collect and organize thoughts to think through a point or to consider introducing a topic of greater concern than the one being discussed.

Question 8

accepting

Answer 8

conveys an attitude of reception and regard

Question 9

giving recognition

Answer 9

acknowledging and indicating awareness; better than complimenting which reflects the nurses judgement

Question 10

offering self

Answer 10

making oneself available on an unconditional basis, increasing the clients feelings of self worth

Question 11

giving broad opinions

Answer 11

allows the client to take the initiative in introducing the topic; emphasizes the importance of the client’s role in the interaction

Question 12

offering general leads

Answer 12

offers the client encouragement to continue

Question 13

placing the event in time or sequence

Answer 13

clarifies the relationship of events in time so that the nurse and client can view them in perspective

Question 14

making observations

Answer 14

verbalizing what is observed or perceived, this encourages the client to recognize specific behaviors and compare perceptions with the nurse

Question 15

encouraging descriptions of perceptions

Answer 15

asking the client to verbalize what is being perceived; often used with clients experiencing hallucinations

Question 16

restating

Answer 16

repeating the main idea of what the client has said; this lets the client know whether or not an expressed statement has been understood and gives him or her the chance to continue or clarify if necessary

Question 17

reflecting

Answer 17

questions and feelings are referred back to the client so that they may may be recognized and accepted and so that the client may recognize that his or her point of view has value a good technique to use when the client asks a nurse for advice

Question 18

focusing

Answer 18

taking notice of a single ideas or even single words; works especially well with a client who is moving rapidly from one thought to another. this technique is NOT therapeutic with a client who is very anxious. focusing should not be pursued until the anxiety leval has subsided

Question 19

exploring

Answer 19

delving further into a subject, idea, experience, or relationship; especially helpful with clients who tend to remain on a superficial level of communication. however, if the client chooses not to disclose further information, the nurse should refrain from pushing or probing into an area that obviously creates discomfort.

Question 20

seeking clarification and validation

Answer 20

striving to explain that which is vague or incomprehensible and searching for mutual understanding. clarifying the meaning of what has been said facilitates and increases understanding for both client and nurse.

Question 21

presenting reality

Answer 21

when the client has a misperception of of the environment, the nurse defines reality or indicates his or her perception of the situation to the client

Question 22

voicing doubt

Answer 22

expressing uncertainty as to the reality of the clients perceptions; often used with clients with delusional thinking

Question 23

verbalizing the implied

Answer 23

putting into words what the client has only implied or said indirectly; can also be used with the client who is mute or is otherwise experiencing impaired verbal communication. this clarifies that which is implicit rather than explicit

Question 24

attempting to translate words into feelings

Answer 24

when feelings are expressed indirectly, the nurse tries to “desymbolize” what has been said and to find clues to the underlying true feelings

Question 25

formulating a plan of action

Answer 25

when a client has a plan in mind for dealing with what is considered a stressful situation, it may serve to prevent anger or anxiety from escalatingt to an unmanagable level