Therapeutic Communication - NCLEX-RN
Card 1 of 23
Which communication technique uses restating the patient’s main idea in your own words?
Which communication technique uses restating the patient’s main idea in your own words?
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Paraphrasing. Shows active listening by rephrasing to confirm understanding and encourage further dialogue.
Paraphrasing. Shows active listening by rephrasing to confirm understanding and encourage further dialogue.
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Which technique communicates acceptance without agreeing with the patient’s behavior?
Which technique communicates acceptance without agreeing with the patient’s behavior?
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Accepting. Conveys respect for the patient's perspective, supporting a non-judgmental therapeutic environment.
Accepting. Conveys respect for the patient's perspective, supporting a non-judgmental therapeutic environment.
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Which therapeutic technique explicitly acknowledges the patient’s feelings or emotions?
Which therapeutic technique explicitly acknowledges the patient’s feelings or emotions?
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Acknowledging feelings. Validates emotions to build trust and encourage open expression in the therapeutic relationship.
Acknowledging feelings. Validates emotions to build trust and encourage open expression in the therapeutic relationship.
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Which technique offers the nurse’s availability and interest without demanding a response?
Which technique offers the nurse’s availability and interest without demanding a response?
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Offering self. Builds rapport by providing presence and support without pressuring for interaction.
Offering self. Builds rapport by providing presence and support without pressuring for interaction.
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Which technique uses silence intentionally to allow the patient time to think and respond?
Which technique uses silence intentionally to allow the patient time to think and respond?
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Therapeutic silence. Allows time for reflection, reducing pressure and facilitating deeper patient responses.
Therapeutic silence. Allows time for reflection, reducing pressure and facilitating deeper patient responses.
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What is the primary goal of therapeutic communication in nurse–patient interactions?
What is the primary goal of therapeutic communication in nurse–patient interactions?
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Promote patient well-being through purposeful, patient-centered communication. Facilitates building trust, understanding patient needs, and supporting emotional and physical healing in nursing care.
Promote patient well-being through purposeful, patient-centered communication. Facilitates building trust, understanding patient needs, and supporting emotional and physical healing in nursing care.
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What is the best definition of therapeutic communication in nursing practice?
What is the best definition of therapeutic communication in nursing practice?
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A planned, goal-directed exchange that supports patient needs and coping. Focuses on intentional interactions to build rapport, encourage expression, and aid in problem-solving.
A planned, goal-directed exchange that supports patient needs and coping. Focuses on intentional interactions to build rapport, encourage expression, and aid in problem-solving.
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Which therapeutic technique repeats the patient’s exact words to encourage elaboration?
Which therapeutic technique repeats the patient’s exact words to encourage elaboration?
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Restating. Reinforces attentiveness by echoing words, prompting the patient to expand on thoughts.
Restating. Reinforces attentiveness by echoing words, prompting the patient to expand on thoughts.
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Which technique asks the patient to explain what a word or event means to them?
Which technique asks the patient to explain what a word or event means to them?
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Clarification. Reduces ambiguity by seeking the patient's personal interpretation to ensure accurate comprehension.
Clarification. Reduces ambiguity by seeking the patient's personal interpretation to ensure accurate comprehension.
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Which therapeutic technique validates the patient’s message by checking your understanding?
Which therapeutic technique validates the patient’s message by checking your understanding?
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Validation. Confirms mutual understanding to ensure the message is interpreted correctly and respectfully.
Validation. Confirms mutual understanding to ensure the message is interpreted correctly and respectfully.
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Which communication technique encourages the patient to continue by using brief prompts?
Which communication technique encourages the patient to continue by using brief prompts?
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General leads. Uses neutral prompts to maintain conversation flow and encourage patient-led discussion.
General leads. Uses neutral prompts to maintain conversation flow and encourage patient-led discussion.
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Which technique uses open-ended questions to obtain broad information from the patient?
Which technique uses open-ended questions to obtain broad information from the patient?
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Broad openings. Empowers patients to share freely, gathering comprehensive information without direction.
Broad openings. Empowers patients to share freely, gathering comprehensive information without direction.
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Which therapeutic technique focuses the conversation on a specific topic or concern?
Which therapeutic technique focuses the conversation on a specific topic or concern?
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Focusing. Directs discussion to relevant areas, enhancing depth and efficiency in addressing concerns.
Focusing. Directs discussion to relevant areas, enhancing depth and efficiency in addressing concerns.
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Which technique helps organize events in time by asking what happened first, next, and last?
Which technique helps organize events in time by asking what happened first, next, and last?
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Placing events in time or sequence. Organizes patient narratives chronologically to clarify relationships between events.
Placing events in time or sequence. Organizes patient narratives chronologically to clarify relationships between events.
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Which technique highlights contradictions between the patient’s words and actions?
Which technique highlights contradictions between the patient’s words and actions?
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Making observations. Draws attention to discrepancies, promoting patient insight into their own behavior.
Making observations. Draws attention to discrepancies, promoting patient insight into their own behavior.
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Which response best sets a limit when a patient uses abusive language toward staff?
Which response best sets a limit when a patient uses abusive language toward staff?
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“I will talk with you when you speak respectfully.”. Maintains professional boundaries and safety by conditioning interaction on respectful behavior.
“I will talk with you when you speak respectfully.”. Maintains professional boundaries and safety by conditioning interaction on respectful behavior.
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Which response best demonstrates empathy rather than sympathy?
Which response best demonstrates empathy rather than sympathy?
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“This sounds very painful; I am here with you.”. Shares in the patient's emotional experience while maintaining professional boundaries and presence.
“This sounds very painful; I am here with you.”. Shares in the patient's emotional experience while maintaining professional boundaries and presence.
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Which response best addresses auditory hallucinations while promoting safety and reality?
Which response best addresses auditory hallucinations while promoting safety and reality?
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“I do not hear voices; what are they telling you to do?”. Presents reality and explores content to assess risks and support coping strategies.
“I do not hear voices; what are they telling you to do?”. Presents reality and explores content to assess risks and support coping strategies.
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Which statement is an open-ended question that best encourages patient expression?
Which statement is an open-ended question that best encourages patient expression?
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“What concerns you most about your diagnosis?”. Invites detailed, patient-directed responses to explore concerns without limiting scope.
“What concerns you most about your diagnosis?”. Invites detailed, patient-directed responses to explore concerns without limiting scope.
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Identify the nontherapeutic technique: “At least you have a supportive family.”
Identify the nontherapeutic technique: “At least you have a supportive family.”
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Minimizing feelings. Belittles the patient's emotions by downplaying severity, blocking therapeutic expression.
Minimizing feelings. Belittles the patient's emotions by downplaying severity, blocking therapeutic expression.
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Identify the nontherapeutic technique: “I know exactly how you feel.”
Identify the nontherapeutic technique: “I know exactly how you feel.”
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False reassurance (or inappropriate self-disclosure). Shifts focus to the nurse's experience, providing unhelpful assumptions instead of support.
False reassurance (or inappropriate self-disclosure). Shifts focus to the nurse's experience, providing unhelpful assumptions instead of support.
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Identify the nontherapeutic technique: “Why did you do that?”
Identify the nontherapeutic technique: “Why did you do that?”
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Asking “why” (can sound accusatory and shut down communication). Provokes defensiveness by implying blame, which can halt open and honest dialogue.
Asking “why” (can sound accusatory and shut down communication). Provokes defensiveness by implying blame, which can halt open and honest dialogue.
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Which response best addresses a patient’s delusion without reinforcing it?
Which response best addresses a patient’s delusion without reinforcing it?
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“I do not see that, but I understand it feels real to you.”. Gently orients to reality while respecting the patient's perception to avoid escalation.
“I do not see that, but I understand it feels real to you.”. Gently orients to reality while respecting the patient's perception to avoid escalation.
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