Key Concepts
Introduction
Advanced therapeutic communication builds on foundational skills by incorporating motivational interviewing, crisis intervention communication, and trauma-informed approaches. Motivational interviewing uses open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarizing (OARS) to explore ambivalence and support behavior change. Transference occurs when a patient projects feelings from past relationships onto the nurse, while countertransference occurs when the nurse unconsciously redirects feelings toward the patient. Recognizing these dynamics is essential for maintaining objectivity and therapeutic effectiveness. Interprofessional communication frameworks such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) standardize handoff communication and reduce the risk of errors during care transitions. On the exam, writers often pair stable-sounding options with unstable data—notice the mismatch before you commit. If the stem names a license or role, reread that line; scope errors are classic trap answers even when the clinical topic is familiar. Run a 60-second scan: breathing work and oxygenation, perfusion and end organs, neuro baseline, likely infection sources, and devices that can fail quietly. When two answers feel partly right, pick the one that reduces imminent harm and matches orders for the role you were given. Train yourself...