Types of Communication

lifespanI

communication barrier

anything within your organization that prevents people from receiving or understanding messages, ideas, and information.

ex1: communication barrier

impaired hearing

ex2: communication barrier

language

ex3: communication barrier

learning disability

assertive communication

individuals who tend to declare and affirm their options. In doing this, they respect the rights of others to communicate in the same fashion.

ex1: assertive communication

Using “I” statements

ex2: assertive communication

being aware of body language

ex3: assertive communication

direct eye contact

nonverbal communication

Transmitting information through gesture, facial expressions, or touch

ex1: nonverbal communication

posture

ex2: nonverbal communication

attentive facial expressions

ex3: nonverbal communication

silence

therapeutic communication

an interactive process between a nurse and a pt that helps the pt to overcome temporary stress, to get along with other people, to adjust to situations that cannot be altered, and to overcome any psychologic blocks that may stand in the way of self-realizations.

ex1: therapeutic communication

open-ended questions

ex2: therapeutic communication

summarizing

ex3: therapeutic communication

active listening

cultural competence

the ability to apply the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality, evidence-based care to patients of diverse backgrounds and beliefs to overcome barriers and access resources promoting health and wellness

ex1: cultural competence

avoid assumption

ex2: cultural competence

Accommodate and education

ex3: cultural competence

family involvement

active listening

fully concentrating on both the content and the emotion of a person’s message, rather than just passively hearing the words a person says

ex1: active listening

showing sensitivity

ex2: active listening

nonverbal cues

ex3: active listening

avoiding interruptions

Empathy

requires nurses to put themselves in their patient’s shoes, demonstrate the connection and act on that understanding to enhance care

ex1: empathy

Friendly behavior

ex2: empathy

providing a calm environment

ex3: empathy

consoling and comfort

Clarification

therapeutic communication technique that involves asking a patient to further define or explain what they are trying to say

ex1: clarification

“Can you explain that to me again?”

ex2: clarification

“Did I understand you correctly when you said…?”

ex3: clarification

“Yes I understand”

reflection

the action of making sense of occurrences, situation, or decisions by carefully considering the totality of the experience: what worked or did not work, what could have been done differently to achieve better outcomes, what was done well, what necessary resources were available and so on.

ex1: reflection

informal (causal discussion with a colleague after a care episode)

ex2: reflection

formal (structured or planned reflection after a difficult situation, critical incident, or complex care event)

ex3: reflection

critical incident (analysis of a specific event or situation to understand the factors that contributed to the outcome and lessons learned)