Mia
Good communication is an essential part of providing quality healthcare to patients. Therapeutic communication is a type of communication that focuses on therapeutic relationships between the healthcare provider and the patient. This is especially important in psychiatric nursing, as it helps to build trust and understanding between nurses and their patients. Here, we will discuss the benefits of using therapeutic communication with patients, as well as how psychiatric nursing students can incorporate this concept into their practice.
What does therapeutic communication involve?
Therapeutic communication focuses on creating a strong professional relationship between the healthcare provider and the patient. Unlike traditional forms of interaction, therapeutic communication focuses on the patient’s needs and concerns. It involves active listening, asking open-ended questions, responding to what they say, and using nonverbal communication. It also involves building trust, understanding, and rapport between the healthcare provider and the patient.
If you are considering becoming a nurse, you will learn more about this method of helping patients with the hybrid accelerated BSN program from The University of Indianapolis. Their courses can be completed within 15 months, making it easier to change your career to work within nursing. The degree is 100% online, so it allows you to stay in your full-time job while you study.
Why it is important to understand this concept
It is important to understand the concept because it is an essential part of providing quality care to patients. Additionally, understanding this can help psychiatric nurses cultivate meaningful relationships with their patients. This not only benefits the patient but also creates a positive environment for both parties.
How therapeutic communication benefits patients
Therapeutic communication benefits both healthcare providers and patients. By creating an understanding with patients, psychiatric nurses can better understand their needs and concerns. This helps build trust between the healthcare provider and the patient, as well as enhancing the patient’s self-esteem. Therapeutic communication also encourages self-expression in patients, which can lead to improved mental health outcomes. Finally, therapeutic communication helps form a stronger relationship between the healthcare provider and the patient, which can lead to a quicker and better outcome.
Examples of therapeutic communication
Here are some examples of putting therapeutic communication into practice and how they help.
- Active listening involves paying close attention to what the patient is saying without interruption or judgment and occasionally summarizing to show you have listened.
- Using open-ended questions encourages patients to express their thoughts and feelings without being judged or criticized. These questions should not have simple yes or no answers but should allow for more in-depth responses from the patient.
- Responding statements show empathy and understanding toward the patient’s feelings or opinions. These statements can help foster trust between the healthcare provider and the patient.
- Using nonverbal communication includes body language, facial expressions, voice tone, etc. Nonverbal communication is important because it helps to build trust and rapport between the healthcare provider and the patient.
Therapeutic communication is an essential part of providing quality care to patients and is especially important in psychiatric nursing, as it helps to build trust and understanding between nurses and their patients. This makes it easier for the patient to be open and for the psychiatric nurse to achieve more positive results.
