Communication Skills: Medium for All Nursing Practice

Chapter 6

Therapeutic Communication-Essential in all settings of nursing care

Communication Process-Process of receiving and sending messages-Stimulus: one person has need to communicate with another-Sender: person sending message initiates contact-Message: information expressed or sent-Media: how message is sent-hearing, visual, tactile, smell or

combination-Receiver: person receiving the message, interprets and responds

to sender by providing feedback

Communication

Peplau principles guiding communication process-Clarity: ensures the meaning of message is accurately

understood by both parties-Continuity: promotes connections among ideas and

feelings, events, or themes conveyed in those ideas Factors that affect communication

-Personal factors-Environmental factors-Relationship factors

Nurse-patient interview

2 Levels-Verbal Communication

Consists of words a person speaks Conveys beliefs, values, perceptions, meanings Words are culturally perceived

-Nonverbal Communication Cues (physical appearance, facial expression,

body posture, amt eye contact, eye cast, hand gestures, signs, fidgets and yawning

Communication is 10% verbal and 90% nonverbal

Levels of communications

Content congruent with process is healthy When verbal message is not reinforced by

communicators actions , message is ambiguous, or double (mixed) message

Double-bind message-Message sent to create meaning but also used

to defensively to hide what is going on , create confusion and attack relatedness

Communication process

Goals-Feel understood and comfortable-Identify and explore problems relating to others-Healthy ways of meeting emotional needs-Experience satisfying interpersonal relationships

Tools to communicate with pts-Silence-Active Listening-Clarifying Techniques

Effective communication for nurses

Asking excessive questions-Closed ended questions

-Lack of respect and sensitivity Giving approval or disapproval Advising

-Rarely helpful Asking “why” questions

-Imply criticism

Nontherapeutic techniques

Goal -To formulate a therapeutic alliance

Problematic areas for nurse interpretation of verbal and nonverbal messages of pt-Communication Styles-Eye Contact-Touch-Cultural Filters

Communication and cultures

Effective Communication-Nurses knowing what to convey,

communicating what is meant to pt and comprehending the meaning

-Most effective when they use nonthreatening and open-ended communication techniques

-Skill that develops over time and integral to establishment and maintenance of a therapeutic alliance

Effective communication