What are the four most important characteristics of therapeutic communication?
Therapeutic communication techniques are a standard part of nurse and therapist training. That makes sense, because: Show
Given all the time nurses and therapists spend with patients, these clinicians are in the best position to:
To do all that for their patients, nurses and therapists must understand and use the best therapeutic communication techniques. Purposes of Therapeutic Communication TechniquesBefore we look at any therapeutic communication techniques, we should understand why a nurse or therapist ought to bother with them. Because frankly, they’re hard work. Let’s say you’re a nurse, and you want to help a patient get well. You could simply tend to tasks like changing sheets, taking vitals, bringing meds, and helping the patient to the bathroom. But that would be basic patient care. You want to provide quality care. Quality care goes beyond just completing tasks for your patient. Quality care means interacting with your patient to learn how their healing is progressing, then tailoring your behavior to suit the unique physical and emotional needs of your patient, at that moment. And that’s where therapeutic communication comes in.
By using therapeutic communication methods, a nurse can respectfully and compassionately lead a patient to share the most pertinent information about:
The healing process for most patients involves a collection of clinical tests and treatments. But for many patients, therapeutic communication contributes just as much to their overall healing. You can think of it like this: Clinical tests look at physical attributes to assess the organs, structure, and systems of the physical body, and clinical treatments seek to fix problems found by the tests. Therapeutic communication combines testing and treatment in a single process. It uses observation and empathic skills to assess and manage the patient’s emotions, determination, feelings, and attitude – their spirit and soul. The purpose of therapeutic communication, then, is to help clinicians build trust with patients while also helping clinicians and patients collaborate efficiently and effectively toward the patient’s physical and emotional wellness. 17 Therapeutic Communication TechniquesIn some interactions with patients, clinicians are simply being friendly. But in many interactions, clinicians are trying to achieve a clinical objective. Therapeutic communication techniques play a leading role in reaching the clinical objective. To get maximum effectiveness from therapeutic communication techniques, clinicians should follow three steps:
“How do you cope with that?” “Where should we start?” Offer your time and presenceBuilds trust by demonstrating you care about and are interested in your patient.“Is it ok if I sit with you until patient transport arrives?”Place events in sequenceYou need to understand what may have caused specific symptoms, and your patient should become aware of connections between his actions and his symptoms.“Did you experience the light-headedness before or after you got up to leave the theater?”ReflectYour patient asks for advice, and you show respect for her judgment and encourage self-accountability by asking the question right back.Patient: “Do you think I should tell my family physician?”You: “Do you think you should?” Restate / paraphraseAssures your patient you heard and understood what he said.Patient: “This food tastes like cardboard.”You: “Not enough flavor for you?” Share thoughts and observationsShows your patient you are paying attention and encourages her to share more information.“That must have been unpleasant.”“You seem more tired today.” Suggest comparisonsYou need to convert a patient’s vague or abstract experience into something understandable.“Does it feel like pins and needles pressing against your fingertips, or more like a pencil eraser?”SummarizeYou or your patient provided a lot of information. You need to confirm a shared understanding and bring closure to the discussion so you can document accurately.“Ok, so we agreed you’ll press the call button next time you either feel that pain in your arm or feel like it’s more difficult to breathe.”Use active listeningBuilds trust by showing your patient that what she’s saying is important to you. She knows you are paying attention and feels like it’s safe to keep going. It also contributes to mental and emotional healing.Make and hold eye contact.Turn to face your patient. Nod in agreement. Don’t multitask. “Ok, I’m with you.” “Oh my.” Continue to face your patient so he knows you’re ready for him to continue. Allow your patient to speak next. When a clinician is skillful with therapeutic communications, they can develop a therapeutic relationship with their patient. Through that relationship, the clinician becomes more effective at recognizing and influencing meaningful changes in the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional state. And remember, therapeutic communications are not restricted to face-to-face encounters. Technology brings more opportunities to use therapeutic communication techniques. We’ve been using phones and email for years. More recent developments allow clinicians and patients to connect via secure texting and video conferencing. These technologies are especially helpful for patients with chronic conditions that require routine monitoring, and also for post-op patients who need follow-up care. Clinicians can build and strengthen their relationship by using these technologies to more frequently apply their therapeutic communication skills — even when patients have left the hospital or clinic. TigerConnect Patient Engagement Patient Communication SolutionConclusionsAccording to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, therapeutic communications are marked by “an attitude of respect, dignity, and empowerment.” Sure, it’s a challenge. Nurses and therapists are asked to be always “on” and ready to pour their best mental and emotional energy into their communications while simultaneously offering their best clinical knowledge and skills. But the rewards are massive. When nurses and therapists take their valuable clinical training and skills, add targeted therapeutic communication techniques, and take advantage of new ways to bring patients into the conversation, then we and the people we care about receive better care with fewer missteps, and our healing is faster and more complete. Tags: therapeutic communication, nurse client relationship, active listening, therapeutic relationship, communication techniques, encourage the client, eye contact, recognition acknowledgment, therapeutic communication techniques What is the main characteristics of the therapeutic communication?Therapeutic communication is a collection of techniques that prioritize the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of patients. Nurses provide patients with support and information while maintaining a level of professional distance and objectivity.
What are the four basic elements of therapeutic communication?What Are The Five 5 Essential Components Of Therapeutic Communication In Nursing?. Respect for the Patient's Values and Beliefs: Nurses must uphold and integrate the patient's personal values and beliefs into their care without exception. ... . Time: Nurses are busy people, no doubt. ... . Patience: ... . Honesty: ... . Compassion:. What is the most important in therapeutic communication?Perhaps the most important characteristic of a therapeutic relationship is the development of trust. Trust facilitates constructive communication; it also encourages confidence and autonomy. Being nonjudgmental is necessary in verbal and nonverbal communication.
What are the 5 keys characteristics that we need in order to have a therapeutic communication?Empathy.. Respect.. Genuineness.. Concreteness.. Confrontation.. |