Therapeutic Communication is a critical part of the healing process. All caregivers communicate with their clients, but not all know how to focus communication in the most helpful manner. Therapeutic Communication provides a framework for delivering specific non-verbal and verbal messages that are designed to be an integral part of a client's healthcare experience.

Therapeutic Communication includes a review of basic communication theory and discusses the differences between social and therapeutic communication. Learners are provided with definitions, video, and illustrations of specific techniques that facilitate or block communication. The lessons are supported by computer exercises, practice interactions, and quizzes that reinforce the learner's understanding of the therapeutic communication process.

Communication Process

This program introduces the communication process, stressing the role it plays in nursing and care giving. Primary characteristics of communication and the factors influencing communication are described. The two major sections of this program are Communication Theory and the Factors Influencing Communication.

Communication Theory describes the communication process in detail. The five commonly recognized elements of communication exchange (sender, receiver, message, feedback and context) are explained and vignettes are used to illustrate them.

Various Factors Influencing Communication such as the verbal factors vocabulary, tone of voice, meaning, clarity, brevity, timing and pacing are discussed as well as non-verbal factors such as kinesics and proxemics.

Therapeutic Communication

Beginning with the differences between therapeutic and social communication, learners are given definitions and illustrations of specific techniques that facilitate or block communication. This program includes exercises, practice interactions and quizzes to verify the learner's understanding of these concepts.

Various facilitators are defined and each technique is demonstrated using written examples as well as video. Short quizzes are included for each facilitator.

Several blockers to communication are presented and examples of each one are given. The learner has the opportunity to look at practice interactions and identify the blockers that are presented.

Practice Communication

In this program the learner has the opportunity to practice and identify the skills presented using interactive technology. The learner is challenged to interpret existing nurse-client vignettes as well as to interact with a client in a "face-to-face" manner. Learners receive feedback on all of their decisions.

Various simulated cases are presented.

Analyze Communication

In this program the learner is introduced to the process of analyzing communication.

Learners analyze interactions in three different ways: audio/video, audio, and written. A case is presented for each way.

Objectives

• Relate situations and factors influencing human communication.
• Describe the process of communication.
• Compare social and therapeutic communication patterns.
• Explain elements that facilitate or block communication.
• Analyze communication in various situations to determine its effectiveness.
• Describe methods of evaluation used to analyze communication.