Therapeutic Communication With Families of Pediatric Patients

Activity Summary

Required reading for all learners: Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes

Among health care workers, nurses interact the most with hospitalized patients and families, with up to 86% of nurses’ time being spent at the bedside. Nurses are highly trusted by the public and, by virtue of proximity, have the most opportunity for therapeutic communication. Bedside nurses generally receive little training on navigating difficult conversations despite the fact that patients and family members experience fear, pain, anxiety, and stress while in the hospital and need supportive interactions. Nurses and nurse practitioners are accessible to patients and have ample opportunities to make a significant impact on family emotional support and coping through their engagement. This article provides practical, evidence based strategies for improving the effectiveness of communication for patient and family emotional health.

Objectives

Articulate the importance of therapeutic communication when building rapport and trust within patient and family interactions.
Identify at least one building block of therapeutic communication and understand the role it plays in health care communications.
Recognize at least one communication strategy or tool that can be applied by nursing when communicating with pediatric patients and families.

Continuing Education Disclosure Statement

Successful Completion

Learners must complete the entire activity and the associated evaluation to be awarded contact hours AND read Implicit Bias impacts patient outcomes. No partial credit will be awarded.

Accreditation

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider number CEP 1036, for {contactHours} contact hours.

Disclosures

Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content will be identified by the Nurse Planner within the activity. Any relevant relationship between an ineligible company and an individual with the ability to influence clinical content has been mitigated.

Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing education only and does not imply AACN, ANCC, or CBRN approval or endorsement of any commercial products discussed or displayed in conjunction with this educational activity. Activities with pharmacology hours are to assist the APRN in fulfilling the pharmacotherapeutic education requirements for licensure and certification renewals.

Activities meet the standards for most states that require mandatory continuing education for license and/or certification renewal. AACN recommends consulting with your own state board of nursing or credentialing organization before submitting your certificate of completion.

Refund Policy

Continuing Education Activities are nonrefundable.