ABSTRACT
If we want to know ourselves then we need to observe what others are doing. If we want to understand others we need to search within ourselves. (Hamacheck 1992 in Rungapadiachy 2008, p. 17)
When we communicate with others, they are inevitably influenced by our behaviour and responses. Our actions and those of others do not happen in isolation; they are a reflection of the internal and external environment of all involved in the interaction. Any interaction is a two-way process; therefore, nurses must be aware that their approach to clients and patients in any setting affects the outcome. This book focuses on practical nursing skills, and in this chapter, we explore nurse-client interactions while carrying out skills. The chapter addresses the ‘Care, compassion and communication’ theme in the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC 2010) Essential Skills Clusters (ESCs), which outline expectations of students and newly qualified nurses.
