130 Unit 2 BUILDING THENURSE–CLIENTRELATIONSHIP
make assumptions based on his or her own
experience.- Nonverbal communication includes facial
expressions, body language, eye contact,
proxemics (environmental distance), touch,
and vocal cues. All are important in under-
standing the speaker’s message. - Understanding the context is important to
the accuracy of the message. Assessment of
context focuses on who, what, when, how,
and why of an event. - Understanding the context is important to
the accuracy of the message. Assessment of
context focuses on who, what, when, how,
and why of an event. - Spirituality and religion can greatly affect a
client’s health and health care. These beliefs
vary widely and are highly subjective. The
nurse must be careful not to impose his or
her beliefs on the client or allow differences
to erode trust. - Cultural differences can greatly affect the
therapeutic communication process. - When guiding a client in the problem-solving
process, it is important that the client (not
the nurse) chooses and implements solutions. - Therapeutic communication techniques and
skills are essential to successful management
of clients in the community. - The greater the nurse’s understanding of his
or her own feelings and responses, the better
the nurse can communicate and understand
others.
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Crouch, R. (2002). Communication is the key. Emergency
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Wallace, L. (2002). More than good manners. Nursing 02,
33 (7), 32.Critical Thinking Questions
1.Explain why the nurse’s attempt to solve the
client’s problem is less effective than guiding
the client to identify his or her own ways to
resolve the issue.
2.The nurse is working with a client whose
culture includes honoring one’s parents and
being obedient, keeping “private” matters
within the family only, and not talking with
strangers about family matters. Given this
client’s belief system, how will the nurse use
therapeutic communication effectively?