Communication Skills Used By Mental Health Nurses - Essay Example

6). In achieving its goal, mental health nursing used variety of theories, research, strategies, and evidence-based practice to reduce suffering and improve the quality of life. Communication skills, particularly therapeutic communication, are one of the strategies frequently used by mental health nurses to build rapport and partnership with clients that are in need of mental health care. According to Pryjmachuk (2011), communication skills refer to sets of interpersonal skills which play a vital role in making a climate conducive for therapy, such as demonstration of trust, rapport and collaboration and promotion of engagement (both client and therapist) in the therapeutic relationship (p. 61). It is through therapeutic relationship that nurses became able to understand clients’ thoughts, feelings and behavior, establish partnership and therapeutic relationship with the client, and deliver appropriate care needed.

Through the years, the role of the mental health nurses has evolved and they continuously assume various roles during nurse-client relationship. Three key influences have shaped the need and style of interpersonal communication skills among mental health nurses of United Kingdom. . ealth arena and service user movement in mental health which heightened the pressure to workforce, human qualities and specific clinical skills; and development and evolution of mental health nursing as a profession in the post war period as a result of continuous debates on mental health nursing’s purpose (Callara, 2008, p. 154). These forces have shaped the communication skills used by mental health nurses as the recognition of mental health nursing as a profession has made interpersonal therapeutic relationship the focus of research and development and trainings among nurses.

Thoughts and Feelings about Therapeutic Communication In mental health settings, therapeutic communication is the primary vehicle that nurses used (Videbeck, 2010, p. 115). I feel that this type of communication is the best tool that a mental health nurse should have and that communication skills that offer therapeutic relationship should be nurtured and enhanced professionally. I also believe that if the client and the mental health nurse have a therapeutic relationship, any interventions geared towards client recovery would be effective.

I feel the need for this type of communication in mental health settings; unfortunately, not much emphasis was given to communication skills enrichment and self-awareness – the first step towards improving communication. When mental health nurses are aware of their personal attitudes, beliefs, and values, they could easily gain awareness of the factors that influenced communication, establish rapport with the clients, and build therapeutic relationships. Basavanthappa (2011) has indicated different therapeutic communication techniques that mental health nurses and I often used in a nurse-client relationship, among of which include: use of broad opening