Enhancing Patient Care Through Therapeutic Communication

The exercise completed above emphasized how to appropriately identify communication techniques and phases of interaction. The format for a therapeutic conversation stressed the importance of a therapeutic relationship with the client. Therapeutic relationship is defined as “a professional, interpersonal alliance in which the nurse and client join together for a defined period to achieve health-related treatment goals” (Arnold & Boggs, 2015, p. 181). The appropriate skills acquired to achieve a therapeutic relationship is important as it elicits focused-patient care, and allows the client to be educated and be properly informed of what is happening at the moment. The conversation addressed several things that influenced the communication with

When asking questions, the client felt comfortable and did not show any signs of hesitance and reluctance during the exercise. The ability to address her nonverbal behaviors enhanced the relationship with the client as it showed concern for her and fixated more on what she was conveying. Enhancing both verbal and nonverbal expressions of a message provides “more complete understanding” (Arnold & Boggs, 2015, p. 76). For example, by observing that she seemed to be shaking, and later asking if she was okay allowed her to be more comfortable with sharing how she felt about her date, which in turn enhanced her ability to share more. This is crucial in a nurse-client relationship because nurses to need build rapport with their client to gain that trust. With using therapeutic verbal and nonverbal techniques, this eases the client to confide with the nurse. Because nonverbal communication is under less conscious control than verbal communication, it may be “more reflective of true feelings” (Jarvis, 2015, p. 28). Seen during the exchange, the client’s shaking allowed the nursing student to tune in into what she was feeling inside, and was perhaps too overwhelmed to vocalize. It is imperative to address both nonverbal and verbal communication in a therapeutic

Nontherapeutic techniques such as giving advice and close-ended questions can prove detrimental for the nurse-client relationship. In addition to asking “why” questions, which challenges the client’s actions, the strategy of focusing or using minimal cues and leads may prove more effective. For example, the nursing student asked, “Why do you feel that way?” Instead, she should have said, “And then? Tell me about it,” which encourages the client to continue further. The nursing student does not sound too harsh or instigative, which can improve communication between the client and the nursing student. Effective communication requires “an understanding of the patient and the experiences they express” (Kourkouta & Papathanasiou, 2014, p. 65). As a result, nurses who practice good communication skills as a result effects good quality of care as