University Degree: Nursing

Research and Study Skills: Interpersonal Skills to build a therapeutic relationship in mental health nursing

In my previous clinical placement I went to an acute admission ward (NMC, 2008, p3).Simpson (2009, p404) identifies the development of a supportive nurse-patient relationship with people in acute distress is an important goal for nurses working in acute care. This process, along with my clinical placement experience, highlighted how challenging it can be to form therapeutic relationships with people suffering multiple and often complex presentations of distress (Simpson, 2009, p404). This made me consider how interpersonal skills and communication skills interact within this context. This experience has led me to investigate the evidence base behind the use of interpersonal skills to help build a therapeutic relationship with clients suffering with mental health problems.

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