Therapeutic Communication Exchanged From Susie To Professor Bearing

Throughout the film there were various verbal and nonverbal barriers to therapeutic communication exchanged from Susie to Professor Bearing. To begin, Susie would come to check on Professor Bearing and would ask “How are you feeling today?”, and no further questions were initiated on her condition. Holding those conversations could have provided information beneficial to Susie as a nurse and engaging in a conversation could have added to their therapeutic relationship. According to McCorry and Mason (2011), Susie should have taken the initiative to ask open-ended questions, this would have facilitated detailed answers with emotions and focusing on areas of concern regarding Professor Bearing’s health and treatment. There was lack of eye contact
When a patient feels safe to share more on their health status, personal wellbeing and concerns this will improve the therapeutic relationship and better health outcomes of the patient. During one of Professor Bearing’s stays in the hospital she was vomiting. After emesis, Susie came into her room without making an effort to console her. Then Susie preceded to say “would you like jello or something?” in an apathetic tone (Edson, Thompson & Nichols, 2001 28:28). To follow that insensitive comment, Susie then said “ Not having a lot of visitors, are you? Didn’t think so” (Edson, Thompson & Nichols, 2001 28:38). In critiquing Susie’s comments stated above, she should have been more mindful of her tone, and how that message is being interpreted by Professor Bearing. Susie should practice better initiation of broad openings, stating she has no visitors while dealing with a terminal illness could negatively impact her psychosocial well-being. The sensitive wording and tone could have been avoided, and Susie could have instead asked if Professor Bearing has any friends or family