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Therapeutic communication
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Therapeutic Communication
Therapeutic communication is a process in which healthcare professionals consciously use
specific techniques actually to help patients better understand their conditions or situations. It is
usually the best ways to communicate between a patient and a nurse as it encourages patients
to freely express their ideas and feelings in a relationship that is mutually respectful and
acceptable ( Arda & Suprapto, 2023) . The main goal of therapeutic communication is to help
patients get over emotional or any form of psychological distress.It usually encompasses
systems and procedures that successfully advance communication and build up descent
relationships between the two (Khoir,2020).
I first used therapeutic communication during my clinical at a local health care centre. During
this time, I had a chance to interact with different patients having different ailments and
conditions. I maintained good communication skills through; maintaining eye contact , sitting down, nodding and
responding with appropriate facial expressions. I genuinely showed concern for the other party's words and allowed
the patient to speak uninterruptedly. For most of the clinical, I realized that to get information out of a patient, I
needed to know the at a personal level. This could only be achieved through active listening, communicating often
and well, keeping my word and showing empathy whenever I communicate with them. So I often asked, "how are you
feeling today, Mr.…..?" Is there anything I can do to make you feel better …..?" and more. This would make them open
up to me.
For therapeutic communication to be effective, it is vital to provide the patient with information on any procedures
they may undergo. Doing so fosters trust between you and the patient, ensuring that they can make informed
decisions, have autonomy over what procedures they want, and make appropriate health choices( Arda &
Suprapto, 2023). During the provision of information while communicating, the patient is heard, their emotions
are validated, and their specific viewpoints are put into consideration. This reduces the risk of patient complaints,
dissatisfaction and a wrong perception of the medical practitioners competency. It also significantly reduces any
chances of litigation that may present themselves.
Similarly, therapeutic communication actually helps to promote nurse client relationship(Khoir,2020). A nurse can
actually do this by giving recognition , active listening and offering self . Giving recognition is actually the act of
acknowledging a clients needs without necessarily judging them . For instance I remember once during my clinical I
had a patient that was experiencing severe pain caused by an anemic crisis.. I acknowledged his feelings by telling him
“ I understand the pain you are in , you will feel a little better once the medication kicks in .” I then proceeded to hold
his hand and stay close by till he felt better . Active listening and seeking clarification during therapeutic
communication actually helps the nurse understand what a patient is actually saying and can help them process their
ideas even more thoroughly.
During any therapeutic communication , it may be prudent to avoid the use of any medical Jargon when speaking to a
patient. Using age appropriate language , speaking in simple terms and explaining to the patient in a language that
they understand is usually the best approach because a nurse could be easily misunderstood. If the patient is not
conscious, using the same approach to communicate with the patients family is highly recommended. Therapeutic
communication makes the difference between basing nursing care and quality nursing care because it provides both
education and support to patients while actually being objective and empathetic (Ariyanti,2022) .I experienced this
during my clinical in an instance where I had to draw blood from a patient and had to use therapeutic communication
whereby I took time to talk to the patient about their concerns , reluctance and even worries .In my instance the
patient opened up about his fear of needles and how the previous treatment was not effective this being the reason
why he actually was back.
Making observations , active listening and empathy are all part of therapeutic communication but a greater aspect of
it is also humor( Xue & Heffernan,2021). . Sometimes it may be helpful for a patient to actually forget even for a
brief second the pain they are into , their condition or the diagnosis that actually brought them to the hospital . A
little humor when used appropriately can actually bring about positive emotions and establish a good relationship
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between the nurse and the patient. In so doing a patient may feel more relaxed and actually open up even more ,
laughter often catalyzed the feelings of togetherness , closeness and friendliness ( Ariyanti, 2022) . During clinical I
had a chance to interact with an old grumpy man who just wanted to go home and die . He was frustrated that
nobody ever visited him there at the hospital yet he had sacrificed so much for them. I humored him by telling him I
would pretend to be his son every beginning of the week so that he would feel far much better which he would laugh
at and this became routine .
Therapeutic communication also involves using silence , learning what to say and when to say it (Arda &
Suprapto,2023). . A good nurse will actually learn when it is a good time to give the patient time to process their
emotions , process information or even observe what is happening in their immediate environment . In such instances
it should be the (Xue & Heffernan,2021). patient that breaks the silence. Using touch can also be an effective yet
powerful way for therapeutic communication . Holding their hand or crossing your arm around them while suiting
close to them can help them feel a sense of peace and optimism especially when they are in distress. I used this
techniques during clinical when I had an old man who had recently been diagnosed with terminal illness and was
having a hard time accepting his condition and even taking medication . I sat close to him , held his hand and actually
remained silent . He then begun to pen up to me and told me what was going through his mind at the time.
Sometimes therapeutic communication may not go as planned as there may be instances where there is
confrontations and a divergence from the topic (Ariyanti, 2022). .For instance there was a time a patient refused a
course of treatment that they had previously agreed to . In such an instance if a nurse has established trust with the
patient then you may actually be able to delicately confront them . If they should go off topic then steering it back
into focus may be the best way . For example if they give their entire life story when you asked a simple question ,
you may actually politely interject and divert them back to the topic at hand . Example saying “ I am so sorry that
happened , but on a scale of one to ten how bad is your pain?”
In conclusion , Therapeutic communication is actually one of the best ways to deliver patient a care and the most
effective . It not only promotes patient satisfaction but also make s the patient feel heard and understood therefore
promoting patient outcomes . Utilizing therapeutic communication in everyday practice requires mastering of skills
such as making time , paying attention to body language, encouraging communication , using open ended questions
and offering of self. Therefore therapeutic communication is actually central to the nursing practice that is why all the
nurses need to employ it as everyone stands to win.
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References
Arda, D., & Suprapto, S. (2023). Therapeutic Communication Skills of Nursing Students in Clinical
Practice.(Jurnal Ilmiah Kesehatan Sandi Husada,(12(2), 346-352.
Ariyanti, S. (2022). Nurse's Therapeutic Communication Affects Patient Satisfaction and
Motivation Level.(Journal of Complementary Nursing,(1(3), 91-98.
Khoir, M. (2020). Therapeutic communication skills of nurses in hospital.(International Journal of Nursing
and Health Services (IJNHS),(3(2), 275-283.
Xue, W., & Heffernan, C. (2021). Therapeutic communication within the nurse–patient relationship: A
concept analysis.(International journal of nursing practice,(27(6), e12938.
