Therapeutic Interpersonal Relationship in Nursing
Communication is described as the process of conveying or information to each other using actions, words or by writing the information down to be read by another person. Communication is something that everybody does at some point every day, and is a vital aspect of life particularly in a working environment (Candlin & Sarangi, 2011). The idea of communication is a significant aspect of every profession and is needed to maintain and foster effective and healthy interactions. Within the context of nursing practice and healthcare, one of the most significant attributes is the creation of a healthy therapeutic interaction among the patient, staff and the nurse. The ways and means in which patients and nursing staff relate can be influential in terms of provision of physical and psychological support (Maloney & Griffith, 2013). Thus, there is a need to understand the relationship between therapeutic communication skills and the interprofessional collaboration practice which are vital necessities in the field of nursing. The paper will discuss the core therapeutic communication skills needed to realize patient-centred care as well as the safe nursing practice. The paper will also examine and identify barriers to effective communication in healthcare. Lastly, the paper will discuss the role of interprofessional collaboration practice in the delivery of patient centered care and the communication strategies which can be used to enhance the interprofessional collaboration practice as well as patient centered care.
As the healthcare system is gradually shifting toward the use of mobile and internet interventions for enhancing wellness and health, there are particular chronic conditions which are likely to benefit from personal, face-face relationship between the nurse and patient (Tian et al. 2014). A therapeutic interpersonal relationship is described as one in which is perceived by the patients to entail supportive and caring nonjudgmental behavior, engraved in a safe working environment during a stressful period. The relationship sometimes lasts for a short moment or can continue for an extended time (West & Starnes, 2018). Person-centered care can be defined as recognizing the patient as a full partner and source of control in offering coordinated and compassionate cared anchored on respect for the preferences, needs, and values of the patient (van der Meer, Nieboer, Finkenflügel & Cramm, 2018).
Nurses and nursing students must collaborate with the patients to integrate the preferences as well as values in the process of offering care which respects the diversity of individual differences. Nurses, as well as the nursing students, must have self-awareness of how their own beliefs and values may impact of influence the establishment of therapeutic interactions. According to Smith & Kirkpatrick (2013), even though communication is not the only emphasis on patient-centered care, it offers a firm foundation for the provision of healthcare which recognizes as well as entails the patients as a source of control and full partner. Without effective therapeutic communication skills, nurses may be unable to elicit values of the patient and collaborate with the patient to organize and offer quality care.
Person-centered Care in Nursing
Therapeutic communication entails interpersonal communication between the nurse and the patient. The communication is aimed at aiding the patient (Hawthorn, 2015). The communication skills which are needed in therapeutic communication are numerous and delicate than those needed in the general communication process. The mastering of therapeutic techniques helps healthcare professionals in understanding the patient better. It is important to note that sound and effective interpersonal skills for the nurse are of vital and necessary for effective and efficient therapeutic communications. Various therapeutic communication skills can be utilized by the nurse to enhance and promote person-centered care. One of the techniques is being attentive to the needs and values of the patient. A nurse has to be attentive to what the patient is saying nonverbally as well as verbally (Fradelos & Staikos, 2013).
A nurse has to share and show empathy toward the patient by understanding and accepting his or her realities, and accurately perceive his or her feelings as well as communicate understanding. Nurses can also share humor and feelings by letting patients express their emotions by acknowledging feelings, making observations and promoting communication, and in the process permitting them to express negative feelings. To achieve an effective therapeutic communication in person-centred care, nurses must follow and adhere to the rule of confidentiality and privacy to safeguard the rights of patients, allow patients to freely express themselves and generally respect the dignity of patients taking into consideration their age, background, race, socioeconomic status, and background (Tanveer, Shahid & Hafeez, 2018). Interprofessional collaboration is vital for the relationship between the patient and the nurse. The nursing staff and the patient need to follow the rules as well as use courtesy forms such as saying hello, introducing themselves, knocking doors, smiling, making eye contact, etc.
Despite the firm emphasis on improving the communication skills of nurses and other caregivers, there are still shortages. Thus, effective communication is limited by a host of structured attributes. Therapeutic communications strengthen the relationship between the nurse and the patient as well as creates a good environment for healthcare delivery. Thus, ineffective communication between a nurse and the patient can lead to misdiagnosis, dissatisfaction with care, frustration and uncertainty and misunderstanding for both the parties (Leef & Hallas, 2013). Therefore, information on communication barriers is necessary to identify the likely causes of communication pitfalls between the nurse and the patient.
Shortage of nurses has been attributed to be one of the barriers to effective therapeutic communication as it increases the workload of nurses. Thus, there is not enough time to create an effective therapeutic relationship. Another vital barrier is the negative attitude of the patient toward caregiver which ensures that the patient will not disclose vital and private information to the nurse. For a good communication to exist between the nurse and the patient, all the parties must not harbor any negative feelings toward each other since the negative attitude will ruin and poison the interaction. All the parties must show respect, professional empathy, and love toward each other to establish a good working environment. The use of technical terms or jargons by the healthcare professionals when communicating to the patients is another barrier of therapeutic communication (Baer & Weinstein, 2013). For instance, nurses normally distance themselves from their patients by using technical, jargon language which may be perfectly effective when communicating with other nurses, yet it is potentially frightening and confusing to the patients. Nurses should, therefore, use language which is easily understood by the normal and average layperson as well as explaining healthcare terms in plain language at each opportunity.
Effective Therapeutic Communication Skills in Nursing
Interprofessional collaboration is described in terms of ‘when numerous healthcare staffs from various professional backgrounds effectively work together with caregivers, communities, families, and patients to deliver the highest quality of health care (Müller et al. 2018). IPC is based on the idea that when healthcare providers consider and recognize each other’s perspectives and that of the patient, better health care can be delivered. IPC ensures that the delivery of care is headed in the right direction, especially person-centered care. The aims of IPC are enhancing the experience and satisfaction of the patient, enhancing the health of the population as well as minimizing the cost of healthcare. It is important for every healthcare professional to shift their focus on partnership, sharing, and collaboration in delivering quality care in person-centered care instead of operating in silos.
The safety and quality of care as well as the need to minimize cost, require every healthcare professional to operate together in a working environment of respect mutually. Due to the perceived and projected shortages of nurses, it is prudent to rely on IPC practice to work mutually and collaboratively and more effectively (Park, Hawkins, Hamlin, Hawkins, & Bamdas, 2014). However, if the team’s healthcare professionals do not collaborate and communicate, their performance to deliver quality care to the patients will suffer. Working as a team and having a good working relationship have the potential to minimize medical costs and errors to the patient.
Effective communication between the nurse and physician that builds and enhances trust as well as a mutual sense of responsibility for the care of patients is gradually becoming a vital skill for nurses. Nurses whose communications fosters engagement of patients has been linked to an array of benefits such as increased trust, patient satisfaction, adherence of treatment by patients, greater quality of care, and enhanced medical outcomes. One of the communication strategies that are important in IPC practice in person-centred care is the provision of compassionate, personalized care (Santana et al. 2018). This is done integrate patients in their care by having control in the treatment process; nurses must establish a patient relationship anchored on trust and honest communication, offering timely information as well as reassuring them in frightening times. Another strategy is to educate patients and other staff members in cultural contexts. A nurse should use effective communication strategy to bridge the expectations of patients. For instance, patients diagnosed with bronchitis normally expect antibiotics prescription, but acute bronchitis does not need antibiotics treatment.
Barriers to Effective Communication in Healthcare
Conclusion
Therapeutic communication is intended to help patients by involving them in the treatment process. It creates a therapeutic relationship which ensures that quality care is provided to the patient. The relationship also infers the concept of independence on the patient. Thus, effective communication skills and strategies must be employed by nurses to ensure that quality care is provided to the patient in person-centred care.
References
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