Therapeutic Relationships

Question 1

Types of relationships - Social

Answer 1

• Primarily for friendship or task accomplishment
• Needs are mutually met
• Communication: often superficial
• Techniques of communication: advice giving, conversation focuses on shared interests

Question 2

Types of relationships - Intimate

Answer 2

• Between 2 individuals with an emotional commitment to each other
• Mutual needs met (interdependency)
• Communication - share: personal information; intimate desires

Question 3

Types of relationships - Therapeutic

Answer 3

• Between nurse and patient to enhance patient growth
• Focus on patient issues and concerns
• Communication: therapeutic techniques used to identify and explore needs,set goals, assist in the development of new coping skills, encourage behavioral change

Question 4

Therapeutic conversations differ from social conversations

Answer 4

• Different focus/purpose

- Boundaries around: personal information, dress, setting, use of touch (note differences in psychiatry)

Question 5

Therapeutic conversations

Answer 5

• Utilize open-ended questions
• Pay attention to body language (open)
• Watch tone of voice
• Develop the ability to ask more questions than giving advice – Be careful about giving advice!
• Try to avoid the use of ‘why’ (may be perceived as judgmental)

Question 6

In therapeutic conversations it is important to:

Answer 6

• Establish trust and respect of patient
• Engage with the patient
• Set the focus/boundaries of the interaction
• Explore the patient’s understanding of what is happening
• Allow the patient to discuss his/her thoughts and feelings
• Refrain from asking numerous questions
• Attend to pace

Question 7

Boundaries

Answer 7

• Clothing
• Use of touch
• Male/female boundaries (particularly with histories of sexual abuse)
• Contact outside of hospital (do not socialize outside of hospital)

Question 8

Boundary guidelines

Answer 8

• Choose interview location which is in the open, yet also private for you (e.g. tables on the unit for interviewing that are in the open)
• When charting, include content of conversations, but avoid judgments (e.g. ‘patient mean or nasty’)