Читать книгу The Nursing Associate's Handbook of Clinical Skills - Группа авторов - Страница 123

In order to build that therapeutic relationship, the healthcare professional must communicate with the patient and, furthermore, communicate effectively. A key aspect of communication includes listening. Of course, everyone would claim to listen to people, but in a therapeutic relationship, the healthcare professional must listen actively. This is different from listening passively to someone speak; the technique of engaging in active listening requires much effort and skill. Haley et al. (2017) identify that the skill of active listening demonstrates a higher level of empathy than demonstrated through passive listening; active listening can help the healthcare worker to become more empathetic.

Communication is an essential element of healthcare, and Alsawy et al. (2019) found that meaningful conversations can reduce feeling of isolation and depression. They also found that when the patients felt their healthcare professionals were actively listening to them, the communication interaction was more enjoyable and meaningful for them. True active listening requires practice and reflection, and Nemec et al. (2017) state that besides training to learn the skills, a therapeutic interaction requires both physical and mental preparation.