What happens when we ACTUALLY listen to our clients.

[BrigidG]

A few weeks ago, I had the most rewarding clinical experience I have had in nursing school so far. I shared this with my instructor and my class, so I thought I'd post it here. Its really a pick-me-up when you feel like your presence during clinicals isn't really doing anything.

In report I was told about my client, who was "angry", "uncooperative", and "difficult". She had complained all night and seemed to be a bother to the staff.

I assessed my other client and sort of procrastinated entering her room, nervous of what would happen.

I walked in with a smile, introduced myself, and was greeted with "I don't know why I'm here", "the doctors are just making me sicker", I have things to take care of; I can't be here", "my cats are going to starve", "I'm a terrible patient", "Why would you want to be a nurse? You have to deal with people like me". I kept smiling and responded with "I want to be a nurse to help people, and today I'm here to help you. Even if I can't make you feel better, but I'll do what I can, even if it means just listening to you", and my response seemed to shock her.

As I was asking her questions about her medical history, she told me that she quit smoking the day before Easter this year. I asked her what caused her to quit, and she responded with "I don't want to say, you won't believe me; you'll just think I'm crazy". I said "I will believe what you tell me".

She told me she prayed, and God told her to quit, then she began ranting again about things she needed to do at home, and errands she had to do, but eventually started saying things like "people don't just get sick like this", "How could God let this happen?" I asked "you believe God made you sick?", and she said "No! no, he doesn't. He doesn't punish us like that. He loves us."

I talked to her for a few more minutes about her beliefs and faith in God. I could see she was still anxious, scared and almost tearful, so I asked if she wanted me to pray with her. She said yes, and we did.

Almost immediately after that, she was more cooperative, appeared less anxious, smiled, laughed, got out of bed, sat by the window, and expressed gratitude to me and other staff members.

This is the greatest example I've seen in my clinical experience of the effects of therapeutic communication. A client everyone saw as problematic just needed the right person to listen and be genuinely interested in her, her well-being and her beliefs.

When we accept a client's beliefs, support them, and communicate effectively, it is greatly beneficial to their self esteem and recovery, and our own sense of self.

[Certifiable, BSN, RN]

Thanks for posting this, I sometimes feel that the discussion board is full of negativity and despair... It's always nice when someone says something positive.

[FLDoula]

Thank you a very uplifting post! :)