Communication in

Health Professional
 Communication
• Human interaction
a. Verbal and nonverbal
b. Written and unwritten
• Conveys thoughts and ideas
• Transmits feelings
• Exchanges information
• Means various things
 Communication, continued
1. Effective communication
2. Intrapersonal level  self-talk
3. Clear communication essential “Client safety”
4. Collaboration with diverse team challenged by
a. Current health care environment
b. Professional communication and collaboration
c. Cultural gaps
 The Communication Process
• Sender
– Source- Encoder
• Message
– What is actually said/written, body language
– How words are transmitted  channel
• Receiver
– Listener  decoder  perception of intention
• Response  Feedback
 Verbal Communication
a. Pace and intonation
b. Simplicity
c. Clarity and brevity
d. Timing and relevance
e. Adaptability
f. Credibility
g. Humor
 Nonverbal Communication

• Body language
– Gestures, movements, use of touch
• Essential skills: observation, interpretation
a.Personal appearance
b.Posture
c.Facial expression of self, others; eye contact
Electronic Communication

• Advantages
a. Fast
b. Efficient
c. Improves communication, continuity of care
• Disadvantages
a. Client confidentiality risk
b. Socioeconomics
Factors Influence Communication Process
a. Development & gender
b. Sociocultural characteristics
c. Values and perception
d. Personal space and territoriality
e. Roles and relationships
f. Environment
g. Congruence
h. Attitudes
 Development
• Language and communication skills
develop through stages
• Communication techniques for children
a. Play
b. Draw, paint, sculpt
c. Storytelling, word games
d. Read books; watch movies, videos
e. Write
 Gender

• Females and males communicate differently

from early age

• Boys  Establish independence,

Negotiate status
• Girls  seek confirmation, intimacy
 Sociocultural Characteristics

• Culture
• Education
• Economic level
 Personal Space
• Defined as distance people prefer in
interactions with others
• Proxemics
a. Intimate distance frequently used by nurses
b. Personal distance  less overwhelming
c. Social distance  increased eye contact
• Out of reach for touch
d. Public distance
 Territoriality
• Space and things
– Individual considers as belonging to self
– Knock before entering space
• May be visible
– Curtains around bed unit
– Walls of private room
– Removing chair to use at another bed
 Roles and Relationships

a) Between sender and receiver

b) First meeting versus developed
relationship
c) Informal with colleagues
d) Formal with administrators
e) Length of relationship
 Environment
• Can facilitate effective communication
• Key factors
– Comfort
– Privacy
 Therapeutic Communication

• Interactive process between nurse, client

• Helps client overcome temporary stress
a. To get along with other people
b. Adjust to the unalterable
c. Overcome psychological blocks
• Established with purpose of helping client
 Therapeutic Communication Techniques

• Empathizing

– Empathy is process
• People feel with one another
• Embrace attitude of person who is speaking
• Grasp idea that what client has to say important
– NOT synonymous with sympathy
– Interprets clients feelings without inserting own
 Empathy
Four phases of therapeutic empathizing

1. Identification
2. Incorporation
3. Reverberation
4. Detachment
 Listening
Attentive listening
a. Mindful listening
b. Paying attention to verbal, nonverbal
c. Noting congruence
d. Absorbing content and feeling
e. Listening for key themes
f. Be aware of own biases
g. Highly developed skill
 Six Skills in Confronting

1. Use of personal statements

2. Use of relationship statements
3. Use of behavior descriptions
4. Use of description of personal feelings
5. Use of responses aimed at understanding
6. Use of constructive feedback skills
Therapeutic Communication Mistakes

• Common Mistakes
a. Giving advice
b. Minimizing or discounting feelings
c. Deflecting
d. Interrogating
e. Sparring