The Purpose Of Therapeutic Communication

Therapeutic communication is an interpersonal interaction between the patient and the healthcare provider. It is a facet of healthcare in which there is a flow of information between the two parties, which allows both the patient and the physician the opportunity to acquire the information needed to improve the well being of the patient. According to Dinga and Karvinen (2008): The purpose of therapeutic communication is to 1) provide a safe place for the client to explore the meaning of the illness experience, and 2) to provide the information and emotional support that each client needs to achieve maximum health and well-being (p. 6).
According to Epstein et al. (2000), effective therapeutic communication requires 5 elements: Rapport,
Brobeck et al. (2011), states, “The fundamental purpose of MI is to help people understand their lifestyle problems and make positive changes in their everyday lives.” Motivational interviewing involves the implementation of therapeutic communication to encourage change in behavior. It involves asking the patient questions that elicit change. Asking these questions permit the patient to realize the possibility and the personal benefits of leading a healthier life. It also aids nurses in implementing safe and effective care plans. It allows the patient to be more autonomous because they realize their potential to overcome or manage their illness. According to Brobeck et. al (2011), “Motivational interviewing has proven to be more effective than conventional methods to increase patient motivation (Brondie & Inoue 2005). Several studies have shown that MI can have a positive effect on lifestyle factors…” I think that motivational interviewing is an effective form of care because its more personal; the patient has the opportunity to think about what they want for themselves, and to imagine a life in which they can control or manage their illness. I believe this gives them more control over their course of treatment and subsequently their lives. As a nursing student I have not yet had the chance to engage in therapeutic communication with patients. However, as a mental health associate I did not realize that what I was doing was motivational interviewing, but I knew that my goal was to make the patient comfortable enough to interact with me. Looking back I found that motivational interviewing was most effective with teenagers. They are rebellious in nature, and more often than not they think they have it all figured out, and