Therapeutic Communication and Professional Nursing

Vocabulary flashcards covering core terms related to therapeutic communication, nonverbal cues, and professional nursing communication.

Therapeutic communication

Communication with patients designed to build trust, support healing, and achieve positive health outcomes through a collaborative nurse–patient relationship.

Verbal communication

The spoken or written words used to convey messages, including the need to tailor language to the audience and avoid slang.

Nonverbal communication

All communication without words, such as body language, tone, facial expressions, gestures, sounds, and eye contact.

Vocabulary

The set of words a speaker uses; influences understanding, audience relevance, cultural context, and professionalism.

Denotative meaning

The literal, dictionary definition of a word.

Connotative meaning

The feelings or associations a word evokes beyond its literal meaning.

Pacing

The speed at which you speak; should be appropriate to the audience and context, often moderately slow for clarity.

Tone

The speaker’s vocal quality and attitude, which can change meaning (positive, neutral, negative).

Clarity

Clear, understandable messaging with little ambiguity.

Brevity

Conciseness; delivering essential information without unnecessary fluff.

Timing

Choosing when to communicate or educate to match the patient’s readiness and situation.

Relevance

Ensuring topics discussed are pertinent to the patient’s condition and needs.

Personal appearance

Professional grooming and attire (uniforms, neatness) that foster patient confidence.

Posture and gait

How you sit, stand, and move; conveys engagement, confidence, and respect.

Facial expressions

The face’s signals, which reflect emotion and can influence patient perception; should be controlled.

Eye contact

Looking at the patient to establish connection; cultural factors may alter its usage.

Gestures

Hand and body movements used to emphasize or clarify what you’re saying; can be positive or negative.

Sounds (nonverbal)

Nonspoken sounds like crying or sighing that convey emotion; not part of spoken language.

Personal space (bubble)

The physical boundary around a person; invading it can hinder communication and comfort.

Metacommunication

The overall set of cues—verbal and nonverbal—that shape the message and its interpretation.

Intrapersonal communication

One’s internal dialogue and self-talk that influence confidence and self-concept.

Interpersonal communication

One-on-one nurse–patient communication, including validation and negotiation of meaning.

Small group communication

Three or more people communicating with a defined goal and often an agenda.

Public/audience communication

Speaking to a larger group; requires adapting style and technique to the audience.

Electronic communication

Use of portals, emails, and messages to communicate; requires professionalism and clear tone.

SBAR

Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation—a structured framework to report patient information.

AIDET

Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank you—a bedside communication protocol to set expectations.

Empathy

Understanding another person’s feelings and perspective, and communicating that understanding to build trust.

Silence

Pauses in conversation that allow thinking time and can invite the patient to respond.

Pre-interaction Phase

Preparation, reviewing data, planning. (First Phase)

Orientation Phase

Establishing tone, trust, and setting expectations (Second Phase)

Working Phase

Collaborative problem-solving and goal pursuit (Third Phase)

Termination Phase

Concluding the relationship, evaluating progress, and providing support for future interactions (Fourth Phase)

Referent

Motivation triggers for communication; affects how we respond.

Feedback

Essential for confirming and understanding; if unclear, recommunicate with clarification.

Barriers

Perception, culture, education, gender, values, personal experiences can alter communication.

Environment

Privacy, noise, temperature, and layout influence how well information is exchanged.

Channels 

The use of visual (facial expressions), auditory (spoken), and tactile (touch) sense to send and receive messages effectively.  

Sender

The person sending the message (determines how it is sent)

Receiver

The person accepting a message (receiving, accepting, decoding)