Читать книгу The Nursing Associate's Handbook of Clinical Skills - Группа авторов - Страница 125

There are two specific elements of communication that a healthcare professional needs to be aware of in order to demonstrate that they are hearing the person they are listening to. They are verbal and non‐verbal communication. Webb & Mille (2011) describe these as attending verbally, vocally and non‐verbally. These will be explained, in turn, starting with non‐verbal communication, also referred to as non‐verbal attending.

Firstly, it is important to physically demonstrate that there is time for this interaction (Sally & Dallas 2010). This can be achieved by closing the door, drawing curtains and providing privacy. It is also important to ensure there are no interruptions during the interaction. Sitting with the patient, as opposed to standing over them, also shows that there is time for this interaction.

Avoiding physical barriers is very important. It is tempting to take notes to ensure nothing is forgotten, but this is an immediate barrier to effective communication (Ali 2018). Therapeutic communication should be a conversation, so taking notes is not appropriate and may make the patient feel uncomfortable. Taking notes can create pauses and breaks, and should this happen, then natural communication is stilted. The use of furniture can also be an issue. If a table is in between the healthcare professional and the patient, then there is a physical barrier which may hinder the interaction, so this should be avoided. How the healthcare professional physically presents themselves is also important, as this is another element of non‐verbal communication.