Therapeutic Communication Techniques
Student’s Name
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Therapeutic Communication Techniques
Brief Description of the Patient
The patient’s name is James Lampard, a 28-year-old male, married with one child. James may pose a problem to the nurse because he does not like visiting hospitals and thinks that it is a waste of time. He prefers self-medication with over the counter drugs than going to the hospital to explain how he feels. James claims that apart from being a waste of time, he finds it challenging to explain how he feels to the doctors or nurses. Therefore, because of his beliefs and behaviors to withhold information, he may pose a challenge to a nurse trying to interview him to gather information about his health history.
Therapeutic Communication Techniques
Given Lampard’s case, a nurse could apply different techniques to put the patient at ease and acquire the necessary information to complete the health history. According to Bellaza (2020), therapeutic communication in nursing is an interactive communication process between a nurse and a patient or client. The nurse focuses on the patient’s specific needs to promote the efficient exchange of information. A nurse must use skilled therapeutic communication techniques to understand and empathize with the patient’s experience. Some of the techniques that a nurse could use in Lampard’s case include broad opening, accepting, active listening, seeking clarification, and consensual validation.
The first technique is broad opening, which will involve allowing Lampard to start the conversation or introduce the topic. For example, the nurse could ask, “What would you like to talk about?” (Bellaza, 2020). Such a question would allow Lampard to direct the conversation by deciding what he wants to talk about. It allows patients to select the information they want to share while providing the nurse with a basis to ask questions and understand their clients.
The second technique is accepting, which entails acknowledging the patient. It involves reception or recognizing what the patient is saying and affirming that they are being heard. For example, the nurse listening to Lampard could nod their head or make eye contact and say, “Yes, I understand you” (Bellaza, 2020). The technique creates an environment where the patients feel that the nurse is listening and taking them seriously, which increases their interest in care.
Third is active listening, an essential technique in Lampard’s case. Lampard finds it challenging to express himself in hospital care settings. Active listening will encourage him to continue talking because it involves using verbal and nonverbal cues such as eye contact, nodding, and saying words like “I see” or “I get you” (Bellaza, 2020). These cues will guide the conversation and encourage Lampard by indicating that the nurse is interested and understands what he is saying.
The fourth technique is seeking clarification. It includes asking for clarification when the patient says something confusing or unclear to the nurse. For instance, the nurse could ask, “I am not sure I follow” or “Can you explain to me?” (Bellaza, 2020). Further or deeper explanations help nurses understand what a patient is saying and process ideas to understand their experience.
Another important technique of communication is consensual validation. It requires establishing a mutual understanding of the conversation and the meaning of words used. For example, the nurse can try and repeat and rephrase the patient’s words and ask, “Does my understanding agree with yours?” Such questions and conversations ensure that the nurse clearly understands what the patient is communicating about to avoid misunderstandings.
In conclusion, a nurse can use broad opening, accepting, active listening, seeking clarification, and consensual validation therapeutic communication techniques to put Lampard at ease and obtain the necessary information to complete his health history. These techniques will establish an environment where Lampard finds it easy to explain his health experience without reservations. They will also allow the nurse to provide the support and information needed for the patient to share his experience while maintaining a professional and objective approach.
References
Bellaza, M. (2020). Therapeutic Communication Techniques in Nursing. Nurselabs. https://nurseslabs.com/therapeutic-communication-techniques-in-nursing/