COMMUNICATION Communication n The sending and receiving of

COMMUNICATION

Communication n The sending and receiving of a message.

Aspects of Communication (i) Sender - the one who conveys the message to another person. n Message - the thought, idea, or emotion conveyed. n Channel - how the message is sent. n

Aspects of Communication (ii) Receiver - physiological/ psychological components. n Feedback - the receiver’s response to the sender. n Influences - Culture, education, emotions and other factors involved. n

Methods of Communication Verbal - Speaking, Listening, Writing, Reading. n Nonverbal - Gestures, Facial Expressions, Posture and Gait, Tone of Voice, Touch, Eye Contact, Body Position, Physical Appearance. n

Influences on Communication Age n Education n Emotions n Culture n Language n Attention n Surroundings n

Congruency of Messages § Verbal and nonverbal communication must be congruent, or in agreement.

Listening and Observing § Listening and observing are two of the most valuable skills a nurse can have. § These two skills are used to gather the subjective and objective data for the nursing assessment.

Active Listening § The process of hearing spoken words and noting nonverbal behavior. § Active listening takes energy and concentration.

Therapeutic Communication § Sometimes called effective communication, it is purposeful and goal-oriented, creating a beneficial outcome for the client.

Goals of Therapeutic Communication To obtain or provide information n To develop trust n To show caring n To explore feelings n

Enhancing Communication n n n Self-Disclosure. Caring. Genuineness. Warmth. Active Listening. Empathy (the capacity to understand another’s feelings). Acceptance and respect.

Communication Techniques n n n n Clarifying/validating. Asking open questions. Using indirect statements. Reflecting. Paraphrasing. Summarizing. Focusing. Silence.

Barriers Communication Some barriers include: n n n n Closed questions. False reassurance. Judgmental responses. Defensive reflex. Agreeing/Disagreeing or Approving/ Disapproving. Giving advice. Requesting an explanation. Changing the subject.

Nurse-Client Communication n Almost every nurse-client interaction should involve therapeutic communication. n Nurse-client communication is influenced by both the nurse and the client.

Three Phases of Nurse-Client Communication n Introduction: Fairly short; expectations clarified; mutual goals set n Working: Major portion of the interaction; used to accomplish goals outlined in introduction; feedback from client essential. n Termination: Nurse asks if client has questions; summarizing the topic is another way to indicate closure.

Determinant Factors in Communication A nurse’s communication is affected by: n n n Past Experience State of Health Home Situation Workload Staff Relations Self-Awareness

Determinant Factors in Communication A client’s communication is affected by: n n n n Social Factors Religion Family Situation Level of Consciousness Stage of Illness Visual, Hearing and Speech Ability Language Proficiency