Active listening is an interpersonal communication

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 1
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
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INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 2
Introduction
Interpersonal communication occurs when there is a face-to-face exchange of ideas, emotions,
feelings and thoughts between two or more individuals. In the course of our day to day life, we
have to engage in communication and interaction with other people. Hence, interpersonal
communication skills help in making communication pleasant and smooth. Use of effective
interpersonal techniques is important for establishing relationships and forming connections.
This article aims to analyse a self-reflection of interpersonal skills that I will incorporate while
interviewing a patient during the week three tutorial.
Active listening
Active listening is an interpersonal communication skill that incorporates an understanding of the
message that is being communicated and engaging with the speaker. By being an active listener,
one is capable of providing more accurate and thoughtful responses. An active listener will avoid
behaviours that may result in distraction while conversing with others. This can mean closing or
putting away things like mobile devices and laptops while asking and answering questions when
prompted and also while listening (Okoro, Washington and Thomas, 2017). As a nurse, I will
employ active listening when conducting the interview by fully grasping what a patient is
communicating through both nonverbal aspects like body language and verbal and observing the
patient emotional condition. Complete concentration especially while conducting a nursing
assessment is significant. Nurses ought to listen attentively and use nonverbal and verbal
aspects to provide encouragement to the patient. This will help the patient to open up on his/her
symptoms and the conditions surrounding him/her. This is important because it will bring

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 3
satisfaction to the patient since he/she will feel that I am paying attention to his/her needs
(Jahromi et al., 2016).
Empathy
To be empathetic means that someone is capable of identifying and understanding other
individuals emotional state. Being empathetic portrays that someone is caring and hence supports
in establishing a trusting patient-nurse relationship (Reynolds, 2017). A nurse can demonstrate
empathy through the following aspects; spending an extra minute with the patient, making and
maintaining eye contact, showing support, putting herself/himself in the patient’s shoes, clearly
understanding personal details of the patient and regularly acquiring patient feedback on how the
nurse is doing. These aspects will reframe the nurse’s interaction with the patient and also
enable the patient to develop a sense of feeling that the nurse truly care.
Moreover, portraying empathy support in creating an environment where all patients feel
comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings and being treated seriously by the nurse
promotes a sense of sell worth and critical thinking (Kee et al., 2018). This is because
demonstrating empathy is an important part of forming effective communication. I will ensure
that I show empathy to the patient through the use of both nonverbal (offering a piece of tissue in
case the patient cries) and verbal cues (Using words like “I understand”). Beyond being
empathetic to the patient feelings, I will make sure I validate the patient’s perception by helping
him/her understand that their emotions are reasonable and natural. Also, I will offer reassurance
that his/her problems are being understood and will be fully addressed (Pazar, Demiralp and
Erer, 2017).
Nonverbal communication