Therapeutic Communication Essay

535 Words3 Pages
Therapeutic Communication in Healthcare There are many types of communication carried on everyday: social, visual communication, non-verbal, and therapeutic communication. For nurses and other members of the healthcare team, therapeutic communication is conversation with a rationale or purpose. The goal of therapeutic communication can be to gather information or to share information, however in the healthcare setting it is always client focused. Potter and Perry (2009) define therapeutic communication as techniques that are “specific responses that encourage the expression of feelings and ideas and convey acceptance and respect” (p. 352). There are a number of key points and techniques that involve therapeutic communication and can make communication more effective. Important aspects of therapeutic communication include: focusing on the client, building a trust between the client and healthcare worker, allowing time for client questions and answers, and understanding non-verbal communication. Remembering that clients often view their nurses as the healthcare member they relay and receive most of their information from should be viewed as a top priority for the nursing staff. Time spent with the clients can be short because of client loads, effective communication allow nurses to spend more meaningful and productive time with their patients. Building trust fosters a relationship where the patient is more comfortable sharing personal information with the nurse. The patients may open up more about their fears and health concerns. Letting the patients know you are not only hearing them, but also acknowledging what they have said is a great way to start in with open ended questions such as “Is there anything you would like to share with me about your health concern?” It allows the patient the opportunity to share details that may not have been
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