Page 298 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

InTeRPeRSonaL CoMMUnICaTIon n 265

Interpersonal communication is a form of to interpersonal communications. Further
communication and therapeutic communica- emphasis on systematically studying the
tions is a subtype of interpersonal commu- interactive process, ascertaining the content I
nication. Interpersonal communication skills of the communication, and deciding whether
are the basic foundation and underpinnings or not what is being communicated is assist-
for therapeutic communication outcomes. ing in the nursing situation was encouraged
Ideally, interpersonal communication is born (Travelbee, 1971).
between the nurse and the patient, from the Interpersonal communication in health
nurses’ conscious application of an interper- care is often complex—influenced by per-
sonal model of practice. Therapeutic commu- sonal characteristics and interaction styles
nication is then the aggregate result from the of nurses, patients, or patient companions
entire process. as well as contextual factors. The majority
Interpersonal communication is the pri- of research on provider–patient communi-
mary means by which patients learn about cation has occurred over the past 30 years.
their particular health problems, appro- The focus of this research has been on com-
priate prevention and treatment strategies, munication styles and strategies that occur
and the roles both nurses and patients play within the provider–patient relationship.
in achieving health outcomes. Within the Physicians’ verbal communication has been
nurse–patient relationship, interpersonal studied far longer and more frequently than
communication should primarily be con- that of any other type of health care provider.
cerned with the development, for the patient, Researchers have largely ignored the role of
of a clear and adequate conception of the nonphysician providers and have excluded
experience of the illness (Peplau, 1991). them from communication analysis. Much of
Discussion of the parameters of inter- what is known from this research is limited
personal communication in nursing care to what is said by White male primary-care
can be found as far back as 1858. Florence physicians during initial acute-care visits
nightingale had published Notes on Nursing (Roter, 2003).
and pointed out in the section “Chattering although nurse–patient communication
Hopes and advices,” that much damage has been examined during this time period
can be done by what is said to a sick patient. and provided a basis on which to describe
Giving false hopes and discussing personal the types of communication styles used by
matters that are anxiety-producing is not nurses in practice, most of the current com-
helpful in restoring the patient to health munication research remains exploratory
(nightingale, 1992). Heightened focus on the and descriptive, and appears to be driven by
importance of interpersonal communications validating assessment tools and coaching on
in the nurse–patient relationship occurred technique rather than application of interper-
during the 1950s with the work of nurse the- sonal theories. Problems, such as how to deal
orist, Hildegard Peplau, who introduced an with interpersonal communicating barriers
interpersonal model to guide nursing prac- in ventilated patients, again resulted in a
tice. What was said, how it was said, and why description of barriers and strategies for deal-
it was said, became the focus of many stu- ing with them but failed to integrate inter-
dent nurses’ process recordings in conversa- personal theories into the remedy (Laakso,
tions with patients. Joyce Travelbee, another Hartelius, & Idvall, 2009). Interpersonal com-
theorist, furthered the importance of inter- munication practices of student undergradu-
personal communication in 1971 with the ate nurses and student graduate nurses have
publication of Interpersonal Aspects of Nursing. also been studied but again this was not tied
The importance of “relatedness” to the cli- to an interpersonal nursing model of prac-
ent and their situation was integrally linked tice (Klakovich & Dela Cruz, 2006). Teaching