Communication Cheat Sheet PDF

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Summary

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Description

Techniques Active Listening

Sharing Observations Sharing Empathy Sharing Hope

Sharing Humor

Sharing Feelings

Using Touch

Using Silence

Asking Relevant Questions

Providing Information

Paraphrasing

Clarifying

Communication Techniques Examples/Nursing Behaviors Communicating respect and acceptance by being attentive to what the patient is saying both verbally and nonverbally. The nurse uses nonverbal skills such as sitting facing the patient, open posture, leaning forward, eye contact, and a relaxed demeanor. Active listening demonstrates interest in the client’s needs, concerns, and problems. Listening can be facilitated by maintaining eye contact, remaining relaxed, and by using appropriate touch techniques. Conveying acceptance demonstrates the interviewer’s willingness to listen to the client’s beliefs, values, and practices without being judgmental. The nurse comments on how the patient looks, sounds, or acts. “You look like you don’t feel well.” Stating observations provides the client with feedback about how the interviewer observes the client’s behavior, action, facial expression, or activities. The nurse makes statements that are neutral and nonjudgmental and reflects understanding of the importance of what has been communicated by the other person on a feeling level. “It must be frustrating to know what you want to say, but not be able to verbalize it.” The nurse offers encouragement and positive feedback. The nurse makes comments on the positive aspects of the patient’s behavior, performance, or response. “I have witnessed your courage and creativity. I believe this will help you as you search for ways to fact your situation.” The nurse uses this technique to reduce stress and tension and to ease anxiety. This technique may help to contribute to a feeling of togetherness, closeness, and friendliness and it minimize the effects of negative factors. This technique allows the patient to express thoughts and perceptions. The nurse intervenes by observation, acknowledgement of patient expressions, giving the patient permission to express negative emotions, and modeling healthy emotional self-expression. It makes the nurse seem more human. Example: The nurse cries with family members when the patient dies. This technique is a potent form of communication for the nurse. It conveys tenderness, emotional support, and encouragement and should be presented in a comforting and nonthreatening manner. This technique should be used with caution with angry or highly suspicious persons. This technique allows time for the nurse and patient to reflect on what is being communicated, to observe each other, to sort out feelings, and to think of a response. This therapeutic technique gives the nurse time to observe non-verbal messages and shows that the nurse is patient and willing to wait for a response. Silence is helpful for making observations about the client and provides the client with time to organize thoughts and to present complete information to the interviewer. Used when the nurse needs more information. This technique should be used in moderation to avoid dehumanizing the patient. Open-ended questions should be used to allow the patient to lead the conversation. Allow the patient time to answer before moving on. Related questions are planned in which the nurse uses words and word patterns in the client’s normal sociocultural context. The nurse should give information to the patient that will help them make decisions. Knowledge helps lessen anxiety and helps the patient feel safe and secure. Provide information at a pace the patient can absorb and in terms they can understand. Don’t use medical jargon rather lay terms instead. Offering information allows the interviewer to clarify treatments, initiate health teaching, and identify and correct misconceptions. The message is restated using one’s own words. Care should be taken so that the meaning of the message is not changed or distorted. Paraphrasing provides an opportunity for the interviewer to validate information from the client without changing the meaning of the client’s statement. Paraphrasing is the interviewer’s formulation of what the client has said in more specific words. An unclear or ambiguous message is restated to check for understanding. The nurse can ask the patient to restate the message, rephrase it, explain it further, or give an example. Clarifying

Focusing

Summarizing

Self-disclosing

Confronting

facilitates correct communication of information. It is achieved by asking the client to restate the information or by providing an example. With patients who tend to ramble or repeat themselves this technique may be used. The nurse guides the conversation back to the area of interest. Focusing eliminates vagueness in communication, limits the area of discussion for the client, and helps the interviewer direct attention to the pertinent aspects of a client’s message. This technique allows for a concise review of the key topics of the conversation or interaction with the patient. This helps to clarify expectations and allows for additional information to be added if not covered. Summarizing condenses the data into an organized review. It validates data because the client has the opportunity to confirm that the data are correct. Summarizing indicates the end to a particular part of the interview. When used this technique should be appropriate, relevant, and beneficial to the patient. Selfdisclosure should not be therapy for the nurse. The patient should remain the focus of the conversation. It can be useful to help the patient see that their experience is understood. Similarities or differences can be shared. This technique is used to help the patient become self-aware. It can only be used after trust has been established and should be done gently and with sensitivity.

BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION Ineffective Techniques Asking Personal Questions:

Examples__________________________ “Why don’t you just put the baby up for adoption?”

Giving Personal Opinions:

“If I were you, I’d find another doctor.”

Changing the Subject:

“Let’s not talk about your surgery right now, your lunch tray is here.”

Automatic Responses:

“The doctors are never on time for rounds.”

Offering False Reassurance:

“Don’t worry, everything will be fine.”

Sympathy:

“I’m so sorry that you had to have a colostomy. It must be terrible to have to wear a bag outside your body.”

Asking for Explanations:

“Why are you so irritated?”

Approval or Disapproval:

“You did the right thing leaving your husband.”

Defensive Responses:

“I responded to your call as quickly as I could.”

Passive or Aggressive Responses:

“It’s fine, I’ll just have to stay late and miss my daughter’s play.”

Arguing:

“How can you possibly be hurting, you just had pain medicine one hour ago.”...