Therapeutic Communication Skills and Pain Assessment Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering therapeutic interview phases, communication techniques, nontherapeutic barriers, and pain assessment concepts from Lab 1 prework notes.

Therapeutic Interview

A basic tool that the nurse uses when caring for patients, which focuses on the patient and their concerns.

Pre-Interaction Phase

The first phase of the therapeutic interview process, involving self-reflection, review of records, setting goals, reviewing clinical behavior, adjusting the environment, and taking notes.

Beginning Phase

The second phase of the therapeutic interview process, where the nurse introduces themselves, explains the purpose, asks the patient's name, and puts the patient at ease.

Working Phase

The third phase of the therapeutic interview process, where the nurse asks questions to invite the patient to share their story, creates a shared understanding of the problem, and negotiates a plan.

Closing Phase

The fourth phase of the therapeutic interview process, where the nurse summarizes the interview, states the 2-3 most important patterns or problems, and talks with the patient about next steps.

Active Listening

A therapeutic communication technique where the nurse pays close attention, stays aware of the patient's emotional state, and avoids drifting to the next question.

Guided Questioning

A therapeutic communication technique that facilitates the patient's fullest communication by moving from open-ended to focused questions, encouraging the patient, and using reflection.

Nonverbal Communication

Communication expressed through clothing, eye contact, eye level, touch, expression, and movement, requiring cultural sensitivity and assessment for congruency with verbal communication.

Empathetic Response

A response where the nurse identifies the patient's feelings without assuming how they feel, responding with understanding and acceptance.

Validation

A communication technique that involves acknowledging the legitimacy of an emotional experience.

Reassurance

Identifying and acknowledging a patient's feelings while conveying information in a competent manner, without providing false reassurance.

Summarization

Giving a capsule summary of the patient's story during an interview to afford the patient a chance to clarify any misunderstandings.

Transitions

Informing the patient when changing directions during an interview and orienting them using brief transitional pauses.

Empowering the Patient

An approach involving evoking the patient's perspective, conveying interest, following the patient's lead, sharing information, making clinical reasoning transparent, and revealing limits of knowledge.

Nontherapeutic Communication

Barriers to communication such as close-ended questions, false reassurance, sympathy, unwanted advice, interrupting, and nonprofessional involvement that can damage trust or deter patient honesty.

5th Vital Sign

The designation given to pain, which should always be assessed with each patient contact as one of the primary reasons patients seek help.

Gate Control Theory

The most widely accepted theory describing how pain develops, explaining the passage of pain stimuli from peripheral nerves to the cerebral cortex.

Pain Quality Assessment

Evaluating what the pain feels like in order to gather specific descriptive information from the patient.

Pain Intensity Assessment

Evaluating how much pain a client experiences, typically obtained by asking the client to rate their pain on a 1-to-10 scale.

Dimensions of Pain

The seven comprehensive dimensions of pain: Physical, Sensory, Behavioral, Sociocultural, Cognitive, Affective, and Spiritual.