Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1
Chapter 24: Communication
Potter et al.: Fundamentals of Nursing, 10th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which characteristic tends to make a nurse the best communicators with patients?
a.Effective psychomotor skills
b.Developed critical thinking skills
c.An interest in different kinds of people
d.Ability to maintain perceptual biases
ANS: B
Nurses who develop critical thinking skills make the best communicators. Just liking people does not make an effective
communicator because it is important to apply critical thinking standards to ensure sound effective communication. Just learning
psychomotor skills does not ensure that the nurse will use those techniques, and communication involves more than psychomotor
skills. Critical thinking helps the nurse overcome perceptual biases or human tendencies that interfere with accurately perceiving
and interpreting messages from others. Nurses who maintain perceptual biases do not make good communicators.
DIF: Understand (comprehension)
OBJ: Identify ways to apply critical thinking to the communication process.
TOP: Communication and Documentation MSC: Psychosocial Integrity
2.
A nurse believes that the nurse-patient relationship is a partnership and that both are equal participants. Which term should the
nurse use to describe this belief?
a.Critical thinking
b.Authentic
c.Mutuality
d. Attend
ANS: C
Effective interpersonal communication requires a sense of mutuality, a belief that the nurse-patient relationship is a partnership and
that both are equal participants. Critical thinking in nursing, based on established standards of nursing care and ethical standards,
promotes effective communication and uses standards such as humility, self-confidence, independent attitude, and fairness. To be
authentic (one’s self) and to respond appropriately to the other person are important for interpersonal relationships but do not mean
mutuality. Attending is giving all of your attention to the patient.
DIF: Understand (comprehension)
OBJ: Incorporate features of a helping relationship when interacting with patients.
TOP: Caring MSC: Management of Care
3. A nurse wants to present information about flu immunizations to the older adults in the community. Which type of communication
should the nurse use?
a.Public
b.Small group
c.Interpersonal
d.Intrapersonal
ANS: A
Public communication is interaction with an audience. Nurses have opportunities to speak with groups of consumers about
health-related topics, present scholarly work to colleagues at conferences, or lead classroom discussions with peers or students.
When nurses work on committees or participate in patient care conferences, they use a small group communication process.
Interpersonal communication is one-on-one interaction between a nurse and another person that often occurs face to face.
Intrapersonal communication is a powerful form of communication that you use as a professional nurse. This level of
communication is also called self-talk.
DIF: Apply (application)
OBJ: Utilize the five levels of communication with patients.
TOP: Communication and Documentation
MSC: Health Promotion and Maintenance
4.
A nurse is engaged in therapeutic communication with a patient. Which technique will the nurse use to ensure effective
communication?
a.Interpersonal communication to change negative self-talk to positive self-talk
b.Small group communication to present information to an audience of children
c.Electronic communication to communicate with the health care provider
d.Intrapersonal communication to build strong teams
ANS: C
Electronic communication is the use of technology to create ongoing relationships with patients and their health care team. Secure
messaging provides an opportunity for frequent and timely communication with a patient’s physician or nurse via a patient portal.
Intrapersonal communication is self-talk. Interpersonal communication is one-on-one interaction between a nurse and another
person that often occurs face to face. Public communication is used to present information to an audience. Small group
communication is interaction that occurs when a small number of persons meet. When nurses work on committees or participate in
patient care conferences, they use a small group communication process.
DIF: Analyze (analysis)
OBJ: Utilize the five levels of communication with patients.
TOP: Communication and Documentation MSC: Management of Care