NURS 2520: Foundations in Nursing Communication Laboratory
Lab #2 : Types of Communication and Interviewing Skills
Family Interviewing Skills
Nurses work with families and must be prepared to establish collaborative alliances in any setting and
often establish a therapeutic relationship in a very short time period. Nurses need to believe that illness
is a family experience, all family members are affected by an illness in the family and all family members
have an effect on the experience of family illness. The following are some basic skills to facilitate a
family interview.
Mind your Manners- these are simple but profound acts of respect and kindness. Essential
ingredients to family interview includes an introduction, reason for meeting and what we hope
to accomplish. Include all family members. Remember you are a guest in the family’s home (life,
experience).
Construct a family genogram- this is an outline of the family structure. It helps the nurse think
about the whole family. Genograms are assessment, intervention and planning devices when
used appropriately.
Use therapeutic communication: This is the purposeful and time limited conversation (not trivial
or superficial) it includes establishing rapport and developing the therapeutic nurse/family
relationships. Be sure to invite children and adolescents into the conversation. (In acute care
settings, remember to ask permission to include family members in the discussion).
Ask Key Questions: Themes to explore include: who would you like to share information with,
expectations about the outcome of the family meeting, challenges/stresses; and most pressing
concerns.
Offer a commendation: This is an offering of the nurse’s recognition and validation of the
family’s strengths, resources, competencies, or accomplishments- Try to offer at least 2 of these
to each family.
Assessment and Intervention questions can be used to effectively initiate a relationship with the family
for the purposes of helping them support loved ones through illness and suffering, and to address their
concerns around coping and prepare them for change. Family questions can enhance the family’s
experience of the illness/problem and help them discover and call on family strengths during difficult
times. Family questions are offered without judgement or criticism, though gentle persistence is often
necessary to help families address difficult and sensitive topics.
5 Question Areas
1. ENGAGEMENT & FOCUSING: These are questions that bring all family members into the
meeting. Questions are designed to set a focus for the meeting from each individual’s specific
concerns. These are purposeful, helpful questions that establish engagement within the family.
All members (ideally present and together) could be asked: What concern is most pressing to
you?
2. IMPACT: These questions are designed to assess the impact of illness/problem on each family
member: to understand the effects, changes and impact on families. How has (mother’s illness)
affected you?
3. COPING: These are questions addressing problem solving, coping strategies and strengths within
the family. What is one thing you found most helpful?
4. FUTURE: These questions are actually Interventions that invite reflection and change.
5. Feedback: Questions that requesting feedback about the meeting can be very helpful to the
nurse and are especially helpful to families who appreciate being validated for their
contributions to the healing process of family nursing.
From: Wright and Leahey’s Nursing and Families: A Guide to Family Nursing Assessment and
Intervention (7th ed). F.A. Davis, Philadelphia.
SEE FAMILY NURSINC CARE BELIEFS SCALE