Professional Communications I – Lesson One

These flashcards cover the key concepts from Professional Communications I – Lesson One, including nursing metaparadigm constructs, communication theories and models, components and forms of communication, contextual factors, spatial zones, and the practical implications for therapeutic nurse–client interactions.

What is the fundamental purpose of the nurse-client relationship?

To provide safe, effective, patient-centered nursing care based on evidence-based practice and nursing values.

Name the four core constructs of nursing’s metaparadigm.

Person, Environment, Health, and Nursing.

Within the metaparadigm, how is the concept of ‘person’ defined?

The recipient of nursing care, which may be an individual, family, community, or population.

Give three examples of attributes that fall under the ‘person’ construct.

Gender, lifestyle, coping styles, habits, or cultural values.

What legal and ethical responsibility do nurses have toward each patient under the ‘person’ construct?

To protect each patient’s integrity and health-related rights to self-determination.

How is ‘environment’ described in nursing’s metaparadigm?

The context in which health relationships take place, including socio-environmental factors that influence health.

List four community-level environmental determinants of health.

Poverty, education, social support, availability of health resources (others include rural/urban setting, religious beliefs).

Why are contextual factors important when considering health promotion and chronic disease self-management?

They act as barriers or supports that influence a person’s ability to engage in and benefit from health activities.

Define ‘health’ as presented in the lecture.

A relative, personally interpreted state derived from the word ‘whole’, existing along a continuum from birth to death.

What global trend has shifted the focus of health initiatives toward lifestyle promotion and chronic disease management?

Chronic diseases have overtaken acute disorders as the major cause of death and disability worldwide.

According to the ICN, what does nursing encompass besides direct care?

Advocacy, safe environments, research, shaping health policy, systems management, and education.

State the basic communication theory assumption about behavior.

All behavior is communication and it is impossible not to communicate.

What are the two aspects present in every communication according to basic assumptions?

Content and relationship (metacommunication).

Why is feedback critical in communication?

It is the only way to validate that perceptions of meaning are accurate.

Differentiate between digital and analog communication.

Digital refers to words; analog refers to non-verbal behaviors and other symbolic modalities.

List the five elements of the linear communication model.

Sender, Message, Receiver, Channels, Context.

In what healthcare situations is the linear model most useful?

Emergency situations when rapid information transfer is required.

How does the transactional model view communication?

As a reciprocal process where sender and receiver simultaneously influence each other and co-create meaning.

Name and briefly define the three system concepts within the transactional model.

Input (information received), Throughput (internal processing), Output (new information/behavior).

What distinguishes therapeutic communication from ordinary conversation?

Its health-related purpose, active patient engagement, incorporation of patient values, and shared responsibility for outcomes.

Identify four characteristics of communication that is therapeutic.

Client-centered, within rules and boundaries, goal-directed, and uses individualized strategies.

State one major paradigm shift in healthcare delivery highlighted in the lecture.

Shift from ‘one professional–one patient’ to ‘many professionals–one patient’ team-based care.

How has increased technology (e.g., electronic charting) impacted nurse communication?

It changes modalities (online documentation, texting), which can affect clarity, timeliness, and relational aspects of communication.

Define the term ‘referent’ in the communication process.

The stimulus that motivates a person to communicate, such as sights, sounds, emotions, or ideas.

What is the role distinction between sender and receiver during an interaction?

The sender encodes and delivers the message; the receiver decodes and interprets it—roles continually alternate.

Give three examples of communication channels.

Visual, auditory, and tactile senses.

What is the primary function of feedback in nurse-client communication?

To verify that the receiver correctly understood the sender’s message and to seek clarification if needed.

Explain why vocabulary and connotative meaning matter in verbal communication.

Different word choices or implied meanings can change how a message is interpreted by the receiver.

List four common forms of non-verbal communication.

Facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, posture/gait (others include appearance, sounds, personal space).

What potential issue arises when verbal and non-verbal messages do not match?

The receiver may doubt credibility, leading to confusion or mistrust.

State the numeric range of the personal zone of space.

45 cm to 1 metre.

Within which spatial zone do most nurse–patient interactions occur?

The personal zone (45 cm to 1 m), though procedures may require intimate zone proximity.

Define intrapersonal communication and explain its relevance to nurses.

Self-talk within an individual; it influences a nurse’s self-awareness, confidence, and clinical decision-making.

What is transpersonal communication?

Interaction within a person's spiritual domain, often involving prayer, meditation, or discussion of meaning.

Give one example of small-group communication involving nurses.

Interdisciplinary care conferences, shift handover huddles, or patient-family teaching sessions.

Name two skills a nurse needs for effective public communication.

Clear projection/voice modulation and ability to tailor message to audience size and diversity.

Identify four psychophysiological factors that can influence communication.

Pain, anxiety, developmental stage, unmet needs (others: attitudes, self-esteem, hunger, fatigue).

How can the relational context affect a nursing interaction?

Factors like trust level, shared history, and balance of power influence openness and message reception.

What environmental elements often disrupt communication in healthcare settings?

Noise, temperature extremes, distractions, and lack of privacy.

Why is cultural context crucial in nurse-client communication?

Language, customs, and beliefs shape how messages are sent, received, and interpreted.

List three possible consequences of poor communication in nursing.

Poor client outcomes, increased adverse incidents, decreased professional credibility.

Why is communication considered a lifelong learning process for nurses?

Because ongoing practice, reflection, and adaptation are required to meet diverse client and team needs in evolving healthcare environments.

What does the phrase ‘all parts of a communication system are interrelated’ imply for nurses?

Changes in one element (e.g., environment) can influence every other component of the communication process.

How does silence function as a form of communication in nursing?

It can convey support, allow patient reflection, or indicate barriers; its meaning depends on context and relationship.

Give one reason nurses must monitor their own ‘self-talk’ during patient care.

Negative internal dialogue can affect attitudes and behaviors, potentially compromising therapeutic relationships.

What is meant by ‘metacommunication’?

The relationship aspect or hidden meaning behind the content of a message that influences how it is interpreted.