Therapeutic Communication docx

Running head: THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION 1
Therapeutic communication
Student’s name
Institutional affiliation
Due date

Therapeutic communication 2
Introduction
By definition, therapeutic communication is the face to face interaction between a patient
and a therapist which advances the emotional and physical wellbeing of the patient. Therapeutic
communication is therefore used by nurses and other healthcare providers to relay information
and provide support to patients. Therefore, therapeutic communication forms the core of
effective healthcare service delivery. The aim of this paper is to offer a reflection on therapeutic
communication using the Gibbs reflective cycle with link to the ANSAT tool, comprehensively
conducts assessment.
Description
The delivery of the course was direct and straightforward. I was able to learn the
essentials and the dos and don’ts of therapeutic communication. The issue of custodial actions
was also well elaborated on how to maintain professional boundaries to prevent changing the
nature of the nurse-patient relationships. Behavior management was also well articulated citing
the three components of behavior management which include the triggering factors, the behavior
itself and the consequences of the actions (Feo, Rasmussen, Wiechula, Conroy and Kitson,
2017). Discussion about the principles of therapeutic communication with colleagues was also
helpful in reinforcing the course learning. Different people assumed different roles in case
scenarios and we were supposed to engage them in therapeutic communication. We also
discussed the topic broadly in groups in order to help clarify and find the best ways to overcome
the challenges of non-committal, bias and other inconsistencies.
Feelings

Therapeutic communication 3
Prior to enrollment to the course, I had very scanty knowledge on therapeutic
communication. I was feeling rather confident because I had a good background in counseling
and I had learned about transference and countertransference being one of the reasons why it is
necessary to maintain professional boundaries. However, throughout the course, was feeling
fulfilled as I was able to learn with others and among my colleagues who made it exiting through
group discussions and role plays. After the class, my feelings were changed as I now started
feeling fulfilled. I felt equipped and strong and I also felt I had improved my communication
skills which would help me not only in patient communications but also in communicating with
my colleagues.
Evaluation
Generally the course went well. Everyone had a positive attitude towards this unit as
there was full class attendance from my colleagues and the lecturer was ever present and audible.
Class participation was also high and effective as people were able to ask questions on
practically anything. Colleagues were also able to answer some of the questions raised by peers
which showed that they had mastered the content. The discussion forums were also effective as
people were able to create different roles and also follow the principles to the latter. One of the
negative issues that was encountered is the fact that there was not enough time for interaction
with actual patients to evaluate the understanding of the topic and to have real life scenarios.
Analysis
The learning of the course was made effective by the fact that students had also been
exposed to the NMBA professional standards of practice that largely emphasize in efficient and
effective communication. The second NMBA standard states that nurses and midwifes should