HEALTH ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW2 Health Assessment Interview Establishing rapport with the patient is an important component in the encounter between patients and healthcare professionals. Nursing professionals are able to make informed clinical decisions regarding patient treatments after developing positive and therapeutic relationships with the patients. Building rapport ensures that the healthcare professionals obtain pertinent information that is used to improve patient outcomes. The focus of this paper is to explain the process of creating rapport with patients during a health assessment interview. The topics include the factors to consider when attempting to create rapport, communications techniques to maintain rapport and effective questioning techniques. Considerations for Establishing and Maintaining Rapport The factors to consider in attempting to establish rapport include the appropriate communication strategies that suit the age, background, socioeconomic status, religion, and race is essential for respecting the personal space. Nurses need therapeutic communication skills that are delicate to understand the patient better (Sherko, Sotiri, & Lika, 2013). The nurses should also consider strategies for maintaining privacy and confidentiality of patient information. The nurses should also reveal to the patients how they intend to use the information to encourage the patients to express themselves freely. The nurse must also have the necessary skills to distinguish the needs and intentions of the patient (Sherko et al. 2013). Assuring the patient about information privacy and confidentiality promotes trust and willingness of the patient to share information. While trying the establish rapport, it is important to consider the patent’s values, psychosocial context and perspective of illness. Patient-centered discussions focus on decisions and discussions characterized by information-sharing, compassion and provision of empowering care. The nurse should consider the goals, values and expectations of the patient, the clinical condition, emotional state, health literacy and complexity of the healthcare
HEALTH ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW3 decisions while building rapport. Understanding patients’ values and beliefs enables healthcare providers to demonstrate empathy I the appropriate way. Empathy is demonstrated through verbal and nonverbal gestures such as touching the patient and respectful silence (Hashim 2017). Nurses must plan to establish patient-centered relationships, while avoiding judgement and discrimination to promote information sharing. Communication Techniques Used to Establish and Maintain Rapport There are various important strategies for establishing and maintaining rapport with an adult client during a health assessment.Establishing and maintain rapport may take time, but is an important step in reducing the fear and tension that the patient may have regarding the interaction with healthcare providers. Interpersonal communication skills, which include verbal and non-verbal communication are essential in establishing confidence, respect, frankness, empathy, compassion, and thoroughness, which are essential for rapport building. Healthcare providers should approach patients by introducing themselves, calling the patients by their preferred name, showing empathy, maintaining a welcoming posture and making eye contact (Al Ali & Elzubair, 2016). Synchronizing one’s communication behavior with the client’s behavior helps to create a bond with the patient. Lang (2012) explained that rapport occurs when people feel that they have something in common such as likes, dress and appearance. The easiest way to establish rapport with patients is matching their preferences, disposition and demeanor. For instance, in the case of an adult’s client who is complaining loudly, it is appropriate to raise one’s voice for a few seconds and leading the patient to a moderate communication. In some situations, creating rapport requires the healthcare professional to move away from the norm, which entails remaining calm and soft-spoken. For example, maintaining calmness around an irate person may cause further irritation (Lang 2012).
HEALTH ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW4 Language is also essential in rapport building. Healthcare providers should also use the local language that the patient understands as a strategy of maintaining rapport. They should also demonstrate knowledge of the patents’ cultural attributes in their interview and competence in maintaining respect and dignity (Al Ali & Elzubair, 2016). Using the same language as the patient helps to create trust and frankness. Effective Questioning Techniques Qualities such as flexibility, open-mindedness, reassurance and support, friendliness, genuineness, warmth, sincerity, and respect are important communication techniques that I practiced while questioning the patient. Other attributes included being sensitive, empathetic and encouraging support. The questioning process was free of jargon or technical language. I also avoided passing judgment, and using an authoritarian demeanor. Active listening was also an important strategy using verbal cues such as mm, yah, and right, and non-verbal cues such as leaning forward, nodding and eye contact are also important communication techniques in the process of questioning. I used the cues at the start of the interview or during the interview. Attentiveness of the interviewer shows that he or she is interested in what the respondent is saying and encourages them to be genuine with information.Eye contact plays a critical role in trust building as it demonstrates sincerity. Maintaining eye contact with a person shows power, competence and attentiveness(binti Zakaria & bin Musta’amal, 2014). I ensured that I asked relevant questions, one at a time. I also provided all the necessary information that the patient required regarding the health assessment and allowed her to ask for clarifications. I willingly paraphrased the messages from the patient through restating, to ensure confirm that I was listening. I ensured that I only focused on key issues about the health assessment. At the end of the interview, I summarized the points drawn from the conversation (Sherko et al. 2013). The techniques ensured that I maintained a therapeutic bond with the patient throughout the interview process.
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HEALTH ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW5 Conclusion The health assessment interview is an important strategy for obtaining information form the patient regarding their health, perceptions of illness, goals and expectation regarding healthcare. Building rapport is important for obtaining meaningful information. The considerations needed while establishing rapport include the patent’s values, beliefs, background, culture and demographics. The nurse should also consider the suitable communication strategies for establishing and maintaining rapport. Rapport building ensures effective communication techniques in the interview process such as verbal and non-verbal communication, effective listening, seeking clarification, and remaining focused throughout the interview.
HEALTH ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW6 References Al Ali, A. A., & Elzubair, A. G. (2016). Establishing rapport: Physicians' practice and attendees' satisfaction at a Primary Health Care Center, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, 2013.Journal of family & community medicine,23(1), 12–17. doi:10.4103/2230- 8229.172224 binti Zakaria, R., & bin Musta’amal, A. H. (2014). Rapport Building in Qualitative Research. Retrieved from http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/61304/1/AedeHatibMustaamal2014_RapportBuildingi nQualitativeResearch.pdf Hashim, M. J. (2017). Patient-centered communication: basic skills.American family physician,95(1), 29-34. Lang E. V. (2012). A Better Patient Experience through Better Communication.Journal of radiology nursing,31(4), 114–119. doi:10.1016/j.jradnu.2012.08.001 Sherko, E., Sotiri, E., & Lika, E. (2013). Therapeutic communication.JAHR,4(1), 457-466.