NUR 103 
Introduction to Professional Nursing Practice
 Appendix A
 Unit 1: Communication Clinical 
             Assignment 
 

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  Directions:
Interview one adult and one child (below 18 years of age) about their beliefs on the meaning of health and the role of the nurse.  Answer the questions below and record part of the interview as a process recording.  Use your therapeutic communication techniques such as focused questions, seeking clarification, reflection, etc to encourage your "client" to discuss their ideas about health and nursing. 

1. How does the child define health?  Examples of questions: How is health different from illness?  What can you do to stay healthy?  What do you do when you're sick?  Why do you think that people get sick? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

2. How does the child define the role of the nurse? 
Examples of questions: What do nurses do?  How are nurses different from doctors?  For what reason would you go to a nurse rather than a doctor? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

3. How does the adult define health?  Examples of questions: How is health different from illness?  What can you do to stay healthy?  What do you do when you're sick?  Why do you think people get sick? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

4. How does the adult define the role of the nurse?  Examples of questions:  What do nurses do?  How are nurses different from doctors?  For what reason would you go to a nurse rather than a doctor? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

5. Compare the adult's view of health to that of the child. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

6. How would the adult's view of health affect the way you approached health teaching?  For example in explaining the benefits of exercise and a low fat diet, how would you approach the topic with this adult? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

7. Explain how you modified your interviewing techniques with the child versus the adult.  How would you modify your health teaching with the child considering their level of communication and their view of health? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

8. Compare the adult's view of the nursing role with that of the child.  How does their view of the nursing role compare to your understanding of it? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

9. Whom did you find easier to interview- the adult or the child?  Why? 
 

 
 10. Write up part of your interview with the adult or child as a process recording.  You must include at least 3 statements by you and your "client." 
 
Your statement/response Client's statement/response Analysis of technique you used (focused question, seeking clarification, etc)
EXAMPLE 

you seem very concerned about your health

 I am.  My mother had breast cancer and heart disease and I will do anything not to get sick like she did. Making an observation.  This worked well because she told me more about how she felt about her health.
I'm sure you won't get sick like she did. Yea.  Right! (She appeared to be angry) Blocker-false reassurance.  I felt like I needed to make her feel better, but using this blocker just made her mad.
What I mean to say is that you are doing everything that you can to avoid illness.  You are doing monthly breast exams, yearly mammograms, and eating a heart healthy diet.  What kind of  foods do you avoid with this diet? I mainly avoid fatty foods and those with high salt content. I clarified what I meant by my previous statement and I asked a focused question.  This worked well and she explained more about her diet to me.
Fatty foods? Yes, like fried foods and butter. reflection-I wanted to know how she defined fatty foods.

Your process recording: 
 
 
Your statement/response Client's statement/response Analysis of technique used 
(focused question, closed question, seeking clarification, etc)
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Please direct general questions or comments about this page to its author: Kim Lubesnick, mikey@oakton.edu
Last update 08/4/03