Watching these interviews, I could gain insight into the feeling in the room and got to observe and listen to questions and how the patient responds. This is key to observing as different patients can react differently to certain questions. The videos feel very real, as if they were not a simulation, which gave more insight into the role of therapeutic communication during the mental health assessment process. In one of the scenarios, my classmates started to talk about the patient’s job and what they liked most about it. This invoked a positive reaction where the patient who was more reserved, opened-up a little more and started describing their work life. This type of communication is beneficial as it can get the patient to talk more about what is going on, in turn, will allow the staff to get to the bottom of the patient’s issue.
In another video, my classmates effectively used various therapeutic communication techniques to build a trustful and caring patient-nurse relationship. Some of the techniques that were observed was silence, active listening, reflection, summarizing, and acknowledgement. These techniques worked well in having the patient express what is going on, as well as, build on the relationship. This intervention as such is extremely beneficial to the patient. Communication is key in almost all situations. Speaking with the patient and observing and listening to what they have to say is vital to understanding and treating the issues at hand. It can help the patient identify themselves what is going on which can lead to a solution. Therapeutic communication should be used in all scenarios regardless of what the patient is going through. These simulation videos demonstrate the efficacy of therapeutic communication and that it is immensely beneficial.
