Competency

Apply therapeutic communication to holistic nursing actions.

Scenario

Suppose that you were provided a scholarship to attend the National Holistic Nursing Conference. During this conference, you participated in a workshop that introduced the therapeutic communication techniques listed below and discussed how to apply them in nursing practice:

• Setting an intention
• Centering
• Grounding
• Caring
• Healing
• Transcendent presence
• Intuition

When concluding the day’s activities, the presenters asked you to reflect on the professional experiences you have had with patients and to document that reflection in a one-to-two page journal entry.

Instructions

Write a one to two page journal entry that addresses the following:

1. Using your own words, define therapeutic communication in relationship-centered, holistic nursing care.
2. Describe at least one nurse-patient encounter where you could apply effective therapeutic communication skills in your role as a student nurse. Identify which of the therapeutic communication techniques you would use and explain how you would employ them.
3. Describe at least one nurse-patient encounter where you could have communicated more effectively in your role as a student nurse through the application of therapeutic communication techniques. Identify which of the therapeutic communication techniques you would use and explain how you would employ them.