Tammy's chart indicates that she has been struggling with an occasional drug habit that is harmful to her health and that of her baby. Clinicians seeing her have noted in her file that Tammy "never does what she has been asked to do" and "Tammy does not follow through with helpful information regarding her drug habit." Her responses often reflect frustration and are mis-interpreted as "white nurse is always telling me what to do."
You recently read information about a technique to assist clients with behavior change called Motivational Interviewing which sparked your interest. You decide to learn more about this form of communication knowing that Tammy needs to resolve her own ambivalence to her unhealthy habits.
To learn about the Motivational Interviewing concepts on Therapeutic Communication, click on the links above labeled Motivational Interviewing Overview, Basic Principles and Open Ended Questions.
