NURS 272 Final Exam Questions And
Detailed Answers.
broad opening statement - Answer Opening statement or question to begin rapport.
EX: Nurse: Good morning Mr. Smith. How are you feeling today? (Said with presence and eye
contact)
clarification - Answer Seeking to make clear that which is not meaningful or that which is
vague
EX: Nurse: "Im not sure that I follow..."
Restatement - Answer repeating the main idea expressed
EX: Client: "I hate this hospital." Nurse: "You hate this hospital"
Paraphrasing - Answer transforming the clients words into the nurses words, keeping the
meaning intact
Reflection - Answer Directing back to the client feelings, ideas, or questions
Summarization - Answer organizing and summing up that which has gone before
EX: Nurse: "During the past hour, you and I have discussed......"
Using silence - Answer utilizing absence of verbal communication
Offering General Leads - Answer giving encouragement to continue. Includes nonverbal such
as head nodding and paralanguage such as "uh huh".
EX: Nurse: "Go on." "And then....." "Tell me...."
,Giving recognition - Answer acknowledging, indicating awareness
Nurse: "I see that you have fixed your hair today."
Offering self - Answer making oneself available
Nurse: "I will stay with you until your daughter gets here."
Encouraging description of perception - Answer encouraging patient to describe how he sees
the situation & its meaning for him
Nurse: "What is your understanding about what the doctor just shared with you? What does
this mean for you & your family right now?"
Encouraging comparison - Answer asking that similarities and differences be noted
Nurse: "How is this pain compared to what you experienced last night?"
Focusing - Answer concentrating on a single specific point
Exploring - Answer delving further into a subject or idea
EX: Nurse: "Tell me more about how you are feeling now"
Giving information - Answer making available the facts that the patient needs
Nurse: "It is unlikely that you will be able to go home until you have finished these new tests
that your doctor told you about."
Verbalizing the implied - Answer voicing what the client has hinted at or suggested
,Nurse: "You seem to be feeling better now after your bath." Or "I believe you are telling me
that......."
Acknowledge - Answer Acknowledging what the client has said
Nurse: "im sorry"
Sharing - Answer Sharing your personal experiences AS APPROPRIATE. Use sparingly and
only when appropriate. This technique must be used for the client's benefit and
not to meet the nurse's needs. *Can easily be a block*
Closing - Answer statements at the end of an interaction that close in a meaningful way
therapeutic communication - Answer communication that is goal directed and focused
dialogue between nurse and patient. involves exchange of ideas, feelings, and attitudes related
to desired heath outcomes.
characteristics and purpose of therapeutic communication - Answer 1. client centered
2. goal directed
3. defined rules and boundaries
4. individualized strategies: nurse adjusts approaches as needed
5. nonjudgemental
timing of therapeutic communication - Answer 1. emotional readiness: low readiness
2. energy conservation: remember Maslow
characteristics of verbal communication - Answer 1. words are symbols used to think about
ideas, share, and validate meaning. letters are symbols of vocalizations
2. differences influence communication
3. paralanguage
4. slang/jargon
, characteristics of nonverbal communication - Answer 1. body language often conveys true
emotions
2. cultural/gender differences
3. cues/facial expressions (posture, rhythm of moves, gestures, stance, eye contact)
4. clothing/grooming (tells about mental status, SES, etc)
active listening - Answer 1. hear client message: beyond listening
2. decode its meaning
3. provide feedback concerning nurse's understanding of message
4. SOLER
SOLER - Answer demonstrate active listening.
S: sit square or at an angle so you face person
O: open posture, not crossing arms/legs
L: lean forward a bit
E: eye contact to comfort of patient
R: relax, no fidgeting
Questions to start therapeutic communication - Answer open-ended, closed, focused,
open ended questions - Answer open to interpretation. start with how, what, where, where
but NEVER use why
closed questions - Answer yes or no info. start with do, will, can
focused questions - Answer limiting, but answer is more than yes or no
communication assessment - Answer 1. verbal: fluency, accents, organization2. 2. written: able
to write/read? how much/what level/how well
3. nonverbal
4. environment: hospital, clinic, LTC, community, home, etc
Detailed Answers.
broad opening statement - Answer Opening statement or question to begin rapport.
EX: Nurse: Good morning Mr. Smith. How are you feeling today? (Said with presence and eye
contact)
clarification - Answer Seeking to make clear that which is not meaningful or that which is
vague
EX: Nurse: "Im not sure that I follow..."
Restatement - Answer repeating the main idea expressed
EX: Client: "I hate this hospital." Nurse: "You hate this hospital"
Paraphrasing - Answer transforming the clients words into the nurses words, keeping the
meaning intact
Reflection - Answer Directing back to the client feelings, ideas, or questions
Summarization - Answer organizing and summing up that which has gone before
EX: Nurse: "During the past hour, you and I have discussed......"
Using silence - Answer utilizing absence of verbal communication
Offering General Leads - Answer giving encouragement to continue. Includes nonverbal such
as head nodding and paralanguage such as "uh huh".
EX: Nurse: "Go on." "And then....." "Tell me...."
,Giving recognition - Answer acknowledging, indicating awareness
Nurse: "I see that you have fixed your hair today."
Offering self - Answer making oneself available
Nurse: "I will stay with you until your daughter gets here."
Encouraging description of perception - Answer encouraging patient to describe how he sees
the situation & its meaning for him
Nurse: "What is your understanding about what the doctor just shared with you? What does
this mean for you & your family right now?"
Encouraging comparison - Answer asking that similarities and differences be noted
Nurse: "How is this pain compared to what you experienced last night?"
Focusing - Answer concentrating on a single specific point
Exploring - Answer delving further into a subject or idea
EX: Nurse: "Tell me more about how you are feeling now"
Giving information - Answer making available the facts that the patient needs
Nurse: "It is unlikely that you will be able to go home until you have finished these new tests
that your doctor told you about."
Verbalizing the implied - Answer voicing what the client has hinted at or suggested
,Nurse: "You seem to be feeling better now after your bath." Or "I believe you are telling me
that......."
Acknowledge - Answer Acknowledging what the client has said
Nurse: "im sorry"
Sharing - Answer Sharing your personal experiences AS APPROPRIATE. Use sparingly and
only when appropriate. This technique must be used for the client's benefit and
not to meet the nurse's needs. *Can easily be a block*
Closing - Answer statements at the end of an interaction that close in a meaningful way
therapeutic communication - Answer communication that is goal directed and focused
dialogue between nurse and patient. involves exchange of ideas, feelings, and attitudes related
to desired heath outcomes.
characteristics and purpose of therapeutic communication - Answer 1. client centered
2. goal directed
3. defined rules and boundaries
4. individualized strategies: nurse adjusts approaches as needed
5. nonjudgemental
timing of therapeutic communication - Answer 1. emotional readiness: low readiness
2. energy conservation: remember Maslow
characteristics of verbal communication - Answer 1. words are symbols used to think about
ideas, share, and validate meaning. letters are symbols of vocalizations
2. differences influence communication
3. paralanguage
4. slang/jargon
, characteristics of nonverbal communication - Answer 1. body language often conveys true
emotions
2. cultural/gender differences
3. cues/facial expressions (posture, rhythm of moves, gestures, stance, eye contact)
4. clothing/grooming (tells about mental status, SES, etc)
active listening - Answer 1. hear client message: beyond listening
2. decode its meaning
3. provide feedback concerning nurse's understanding of message
4. SOLER
SOLER - Answer demonstrate active listening.
S: sit square or at an angle so you face person
O: open posture, not crossing arms/legs
L: lean forward a bit
E: eye contact to comfort of patient
R: relax, no fidgeting
Questions to start therapeutic communication - Answer open-ended, closed, focused,
open ended questions - Answer open to interpretation. start with how, what, where, where
but NEVER use why
closed questions - Answer yes or no info. start with do, will, can
focused questions - Answer limiting, but answer is more than yes or no
communication assessment - Answer 1. verbal: fluency, accents, organization2. 2. written: able
to write/read? how much/what level/how well
3. nonverbal
4. environment: hospital, clinic, LTC, community, home, etc
