| Active Listening | Giving full attention and a concerted effort to understand the message being sent |
| Aggressive Communication | Interacting with another in an overpowering and forceful manner to meet one's own needs at the expense of others |
| Altered Cognition | A decrease or lack of cognitive ability to receive, process, and send information |
| Assertive Communication | Interaction that takes into account the feelings and needs of the receiver |
| Clarifying | Restating the patient's message in a manner that asks the patients to verify that the message received is accurate |
| Communication | Use of words and behaviors to construct, send, and interpret message |
| Connotative Meaning | Reflects the individual's perception or interpretation of a given word |
| Denotative Meaning | The commonly accepted definition of a particular word |
| Expressive aphasia | A physiologic condition in which an individual is unable to communicate a desired message |
| focusing | A communication technique used when more specific information is needed to accurately understand the patient's message |
| Gestures | movements used to emphasize the idea being communicated |
| jargon | commonplace language or terminology unique to people in a particular work setting |
| minimal encouragement | a subtle communication technique that communicates to the patient that the nurse is interested and wants to hear more |
| nontherapeutic communication | communication techniques, both verbal and nonverbal, that hinder the nurse-patient relationship |
| nonverbal communication | The transmission of messages without the use of words |
| open posture | a relaxed stance with uncrossed arms and legs while facing another individual |
| paraphrasing | a communication technique that involves restating the patient's message in the nurse's own words |
| passive listening | receiving a message without any response or indication of understanding |
| receiver | the individual or individuals to whom a message is conveyed |
| receptive aphasia | a physiological condition in which an individual cannot recognize or interpret the message being sent |
| reflecting | a communication technique that assists the patient to "reflect" on inner feelings and thoughts rather than seeking answers or advice from someone else |
