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Therapeutic Communication

Code: 106101
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Nursing FB 2

Contact lecturer

Name :
Sabiniana San Rafael Gutierrez
Email :
sabiniana.sanrafael@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Ariadna Garcia Senra
Ingrid Malia Escalona
Andrea Moreu Valls
Monica Amado Sanjuan
María Isabel Bonilla Carrasco
Ariadna Huertas Zurriaga
Jessica Izcara Cobo
Purificación Escobar Garcia

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Although there are no specific prerequisites, it is highly recommended that students have successfully completed the first year's subject "Communication and ICT".

Objectives

V. Henderson (1971) said that communication is the exchange obligation that human beings have with their resemblances; therefore, one of the basic needs of people is to establish effective communication that helps them to relate and achieve good personal growth.

It is known that there are many potential sources of friction and problems in communication. The objective of the Therapeutic Communication program (6 ECTS) is to promote the use of proper abilities to achieve an effective communication with the person who is receiving the nursing care for each situation and / or problem.

An effective communication with the patient, through interpersonal relationships, is considered as the main clinical ability that characterizes the nursing competences and at the same time provides professionals one of the most important satisfactions.

Developing effective communication is a highly complex process. It demands to acquire knowledge and deepening on specific aspects of communication; students must be capable and competent in the profession: "knowledge", "know-how" and "know how to be".

The objective of the subject is to give students the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to offer an integrated, individualized and quality care. Students must study and evaluate all psychosocial aspects that may influence the person, family and community needs.

Learning outcomes

  • CM06 (Establish an empathetic and respectful relationship with individuals, their families and groups that allows them to express their concerns and interests.) Establish an empathetic and respectful relationship with individuals, their families and groups that allows them to express their concerns and interests.
  • CM07 (Use effective communication strategies and skills with individuals, their families and social groups.) Use effective communication strategies and skills with individuals, their families and social groups.
  • SM01 (Use scientific evidence in professional practice) Use scientific evidence in professional practice
  • SM06 (Analyse people's interactive behaviour based on gender and other social determinants, taking into account their implications for health and disease processes in a social and multicultural context.) Analyse people's interactive behaviour based on gender and other social determinants, taking into account their implications for health and disease processes in a social and multicultural context.

Contents

Concepts' review: Communication. Empathy. Assertiveness. Active listening. Feedback.


1-The Help Relationship: Definition. Help relationship models: Rogers, Peplau, Orlando and Riopelle. Difference between help relationship and social relationship. Phases of the formal help relationship: description, objectives, attitudes of the attended person and attitudes of the professional.


2-The Interview: Definition. Types of interviews. Interview variables: context, characteristics of the attended person and characteristics of the nurse. Goal of the interview. The interview: duration, place and interviewer skills. The questions: type, number, order, formulation. Aspects that may influence the interview. Phases.

The Motivational Interview: Definition. The informative model and the motivational model. Factors that may influence the change. Model of Prochasca and DiClemente: phases and nurse's tools.


3- Communication with children and adolescents I: The Therapeutic Relationship in Paediatrics: Particularities in relation to the adult patient.The child as an active participant in their own care.The therapeutic triad: child – family – healthcare professional. Objectives of the helping (therapeutic) relationship. Specific characteristics of communication with children. The healthcare professional's attitudes. The therapeutic environment. Clinical Interview and Motivational Interviewing with Children: Basic concepts. Application in paediatrics. Simultaneous involvement of the child and the family (parents or legal guardians).



4- Teamwork: Definition. The difference between a group and a team. Objective of the teamwork. Composition of the team. Roles in the team. Phases of teamwork. Team's meeting: phases and organization.


5- Illness and Cultural Diversity: Definition of culture, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, transculturalism, and multiculturalism. The Transcultural Nursing (M. Leininger). Factors that nurses must bear in mind. Factors to consider when taking care of people of the most prevalent religions.


6 -How to Give Bad News: Definition. Reasons for the professional's discomfort. Usual fears when facing terminal illness. Six-step protocol to give bad news. People's reactions to bad news: adaptive behaviors and maladaptive behaviors.

The Grieving Process: Definition. Types of losses. Reactions to loss. Stages of the grieving process according to Kübler Ross—conspiracy of silence.


7-Communication with children and adolescents II: Multiculturalism and Diversity. Cultural competence.Beliefs about health and illness.Religion.Nutrition.Cultural customs and practices.Language.Intercultural mediation. Health literacy. Communicating Bad News: General principles. Adapting communication to the child's developmental stage. Key considerations.Communication in Challenging Clinical Situations Painful procedures.Hospitalisation.Chronic illness.Serious illness.End-of-life care.Emergencies.Suspected child maltreatment.Mental health.Disability.


Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
BIBLIOGRAPHIC SEARCH 5 0.2 SM01
THEORY (TE) 17 0.68 SM01, SM06
READING ARTICLES / REPORTS OF INTEREST 5 0.2 SM01
TUTORIALS 2 0.08 SM06
SELF-STUDY 71 2.84 SM06
DOCUMENT PREPARATION 10 0.4 SM06
SEMINARS (SEM) 32.5 1.3 CM06, CM07, SM01, SM06

The teaching typology to be used is mixed

Theoretical classes-the contents of the subject are treated.

Seminars - held in groups of up to 25 students. This activity consists on different exercises related to the theoretical content (simulation, reading texts, viewing videos, etc.)

The distribution of theoretical classes and seminars by topic is shown in the following table:

Themes to work Theoretical hours Seminar hours
The Therapeutic Helping Relationship 2 2,5

linical and Motivational Interviewing 5 4


Communication with Children and Adolescents I and II 4 4


Teamwork 2 2


Illness and Cultural Diversity 2 2


Breaking Bad News and the Grieving Process 2 2




However, there are 4 Laboratory practices (four hours each)where students, in groups, will carry out a simulations of one situation /problem based on the topic to work.

The topics to work in these sessions are:

- The help relationship

- The interview

- Teamwork

- How to give bad news and the grieving process


Students will be asked to do an evaluation in pairs and in writing.

Students will be asked to create a narrative photography project reflecting on how they believe they will experience the death of a patient.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Submission of assignments 5% 2 0.08 SM01, SM06
Attendance and active participation in classes and seminars 25% 2 0.08 CM06, CM07, SM01, SM06
Written evaluation: Objective test 40% 1 0.04 SM01, SM06
Practical evaluation: objective and structured evaluation 30% 2.5 0.1 CM06, CM07, SM01, SM06

In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted at any stage. Any assignment containing AI-generated content will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in partial or total penalization of the grade for the activity, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.

This subject does not provide for a single evaluation system.

The evaluation is made up of:

Practical evaluation: objective and structured evaluation (30% grade) It is necessary to have a minimum grade of 5.0 in this section to be able to average it with the rest of the sections that make up the evaluation of the subject :

It will be evaluated through 4 simulations in which the student participates that will be carried out at the end of the sessions referring to the topics being evaluated. Its completion is mandatory and the student's non-attendance at the session will be scored with a 0.

The aspects to be evaluated vary depending on the topic to be discussed. The student will have the situation to work on and the evaluation grid that the teacher will use in the Moodel of the subject with sufficient advance notice.

After completing the test, the teacher will give feedback to the group of students on the aspects observed in the simulation.

Attendance and active participation in classes and seminars (25 %) It is necessary to have a minimum grade of 5.0 in this section to be able to average it with the rest of the sections that make up the evaluation of the subject :

This is a continuous evaluation throughout all the seminars of the subject.

The teacher will award an individual grade based on the following criteria:

- Attendance at the sessions and compliance with the schedule

- Participation (mainly participation in the activities of the seminars, although active listening and assertiveness of the student will also be taken into account)

- Level of approach to the evaluation of the teacher in the peer evaluation carried out in the applied theoretical evaluation

Written evaluation through objective tests (40 %) It is necessary to have a minimum grade of 5.0 in this section to be able to average it with the rest of the sections that make up the evaluation of the subject :

A knowledge test will be taken at the end of the subject. In order to prepare it correctly, it is essential to consult the recommended bibliography.

Submission of assignments (5%). Students will be required to submit two assignment using the Narrative Photography methodology. One point will be deducted from the final grade for each assignment that is not submitted

Attendance at the seminars is mandatory.

Any inappropriate attitude or behavior will subtract 0.5 points/time detected from the final grade (mobile phone use, eating or drinking in the classroom...)

No lack of respect for classmates or teachers will be tolerated. Homophobic, sexist or racist attitudes will not be tolerated either. Any student in whom any of the attitudes described above is detected will be graded with a failure in the subject and will not have access to the recovery test .

Any indicationof plagiarism or academic dishonesty will result in failure of the subject and you will not have access to the recovery test.

Students who do not attend 30% of the sessions will be considered non-evaluable.

Recovery:

Students who have not passed the subject through continuous evaluation and who:

- They have attended at least 75% of the seminar sessions

- Have a positive evaluation of attendance and active participation in classes and seminars

- Have a positive evaluation in the practical evaluation

- That they have carried out all the evaluative tests

They may take a final recovery test.

No student will be accepted to take this test to \"raise grade\"

Qualifications

According to agreement 4.4 of the Board of Governors 17/11/2010 of the regulations of evaluation, the qualifications will be:

Fail: From 0 to 4.9

Pass: 5.0 to 6.9

Remarkable: from 7.0 to 8.9

Excellent: 9.0 to 10

Honors will only be assigned to those students who, being among the three best grades in the group and being within the grade range between 9 and 10, accredit the completion of other activities such as attendance at student conferences, nursing conferences in the that nursing students can attend, conferences, etc.

Bibliography

Bechara A. (2024). Buenas prácticas en familia y discapacidad. Lugar Editorial. Buenos aires, ArgentinaBorrell F. Manual de entrevista clínica. Barcelona: Doyma; 1994

Buckman R. Com donar les males notícies. Una guia per a professionals de la salut. Barcelona: EUMO Editorial; 1998

Cibanal L, Arce MC, Carballal MC. Técnicas de comunicación y Relación de Ayuda en Ciencias de la Salud. Madrid: Elsevier España S.A; 2014

Fernández-Zúñiga, A. (2014) Habilidades del terapeuta de niños y adolescentes. Ediciones Pirámide. Madrid

Chalifour J. La Relación de Ayuda en Cuidados de Enfermeria. Una perspectiva Holística y Humanista. Barcelona: S.G. Editores S.A; 1994

Henderson V. Principios basicos de los cuidados de enfermeria. Ginebra: Consejo Internacional de Enfermeria (CIE); 1971

LEYVA MORAL,J. Sentir-Crear-Cuidar. Relatos reales sobre VIH que promueven la empatía. Barcelona: Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona; 2023

Leyva-Moral JM, Aguayo-González M, San Rafael-Gutiérrez S, Gómez-Ibáñez R. Narrative photography with an expert patient as a method to improve empathy: a satisfaction study with health sciences students. Int J Nurs Educ Scholarsh. [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2025 Jun 19]; Available from: https://doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2021-0124

Madrid Soriano J. Los procesos de la relación de ayuda. Bilbao: Desclée de Brouwer S.A.; 2005

Peplau H. Relaciones interpersonales en Enfermería. Barcelona: Salvat; 1990

Riopelle L., Grondin L., Phaneuf M. Cuidados de enfermería. Un proceso centrado en las necesidades de la persona.Madrid: McGraw-Hill-Interamericana; 1993

Surdo E. La magia de trabajar en equipo. Madrid:S&A Cierzo; 1997.

Tazón Ansola MP i Col. Relación y Comunicación.Madrid: Obra Enfermería 21. Difusión Avances de Enfermería. (DAE S.L.); 2009

Tetzchner S., Martinsen H., Stadskleiv K. (2026). Comunicación aumentativa y alternativa. Col. Psicología. Pirámide. Madrid)

Vallverde Gefaell C. Comunicación Terapéutica en Enfermería. Madrid:Difusión Avances de Enfermería. (DAE); 2007

Software

  No specific software is required

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 101 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 101 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 102 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 102 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 103 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 103 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 104 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 105 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 106 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(SEM) Seminars 107 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 108 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 109 Catalan second semester afternoon
(SEM) Seminars 110 Catalan second semester afternoon