Therapeutic/Non Communication Techniques Flashcards
Asking the pt. to decide on the type of change needed.
Ex. “What do you think needs to change?” or “What do you want to do differently?”
Therapeutic- Assisting in goal setting
Used judgmentally, puts a good or bad tag on the pt’s behavior.
Ex. “That’s good.” or “That’s not nice.”
Non-therapeutic- Offering approval or disapproval
Responds to the feelings expressed, not just the content.
Ex. Pt: “I am dead inside.”
Nurse: “Are you saying you feel lifeless?”
Therapeutic- Attempting to translate into feelings
Rushes the pt. & disregards input. Nurse misses what the pt. is trying to convey.
Ex. “I think this is what you mean.”
Non-therapeutic- interpreting or analyzing prematurely
Refusing to admit a problem exists closes off an avenue of discussion & avoids helping the pt. from exploring areas of difficulty.
Ex. Pt: “I am nothing.”
Nurse: “Everybody is something.”
Non-therapeutic- Using denial
Recognizing & acknowledging the pt.’s feelings without losing objectivity. Not feeling bad or sorry for them, but recognizing their feelings.
Ex. “I can hear how much this has hurt you.”
Therapeutic- Empathizing
Asking for similarities & differences among feelings, behaviors, and events.
Ex. “How does this compare to the last time?” or “What is different about your feelings today?”
Therapeutic- Encouraging comparison
Asking the pt.’s view of their situation, often used w/ pt.’s experiencing hallucinations.
Ex. “Can you tell me what is happening now?”
Therapeutic- Encouraging descriptions of perceptions
Discourages independent thinking.
Ex. “I think you should.”
Non-therapeutic- Offering advice
Asking for pt.’s view of the importance of something.
Ex. “What does all this mean to you?” or “How serious is this for you?” or “How important is it to change this behavior?”
Therapeutic- Encouraging evaluation
Cuts off communication. The nurse is trying to make the pt. feel better, but is not addressing the problem.
Ex. “It’s not a big deal.”
Non-therapeutic- Minimizing the problem
Helps the pt. see that new thoughts & actions can be accomplished after discharge.
Ex. “How can a relapse prevention plan assist you after you leave the hospital?”
Therapeutic- Encouraging post hospital transition
Asking the pt. to evaluate their actions & outcomes. Determining progress.
Ex. Nurse: “How well did it work when you tried ____?”
Pt: “I am getting better.”
Nurse: “In what ways do you feel better?”
Therapeutic- Evaluating actions
Pursuing a topic until its meaning or importance is clear.
Ex. Pt: “Women always get put down. It’s as if we don’t count at all.”
Nurse: “Tell me how you feel as a woman?”
Therapeutic- Focusing
Attempting to protect someone or something from verbal attack. Implies that the pt. does not have a right to express ideas, opinions, or feelings.
Ex. Pt: I just don’t like the nurse on the evening shift.”
Nurse: “She is a wonderful nurse.”
Non-therapeutic- Defending
Indicate awareness.
Ex. “Good morning Mr. J. I noticed that you’ve combed your hair.”
Therapeutic- Giving recognition
Offering a view of what is real and what is not without arguing with the pt.
Ex. ““I know the voices are real to you, but I don’t hear them. I see no one else in the room, but you and me.”
Therapeutic- presenting reality
Nurse puts others down in communication w/ the pt & takes focus off the pt.
Ex. Pt: “My daughter is hateful to me.”
Nurse: “She must be awful to live with.”
Non-therapeutic- Criticism of others
Asking the pt. to identify recurrent patterns in thoughts, feelings, & behaviors.
Ex. “What do you do each time you argue with your wife?” or “What feelings do you get when you see your father?”
Therapeutic- Identifying themes
Pointing out specific behaviors & giving impressions of reactions.
Ex. “I thought you conveyed anger when you said ___.” or “When you said ___ I felt ___.”
Therapeutic- providing feedback
Verbalizing what is observed.
Ex. “I notice you are pacing a lot.”
Therapeutic- Making observations
Using open ended questions to achieve relevance and depth in discussion.
Ex. Use who, what, when, where, what happened, or tell me about it.
DO NOT USE WHY.
Therapeutic- questioning
Encourages pt. to continue.
Ex. “Go on. Tell me more.”
Therapeutic- Offering general leads
Pushing for answers to issues the pt. does not wish to discuss, causes the pt. to feel used, places pt. on the defense.
Ex. “What did you tell your wife?” “What did you discuss in therapy?” “Why do you do this?” “Why do you feel this way?”
Non-therapeutic- Probing
