The client-practitioner relationship/project 2

The Client-Practitioner Relationship/Project 2

A Visit To A Lonely Old Woman The interview of the practitioner is with a client who is an old lady living in a nursing home. She is happy to have avisitor because she is lonely for her children who do not visit her anymore.
Legend:
P – PractitionerC – Client
P: Good morning! How are you today? (leans forward and looks into C’s eyes with a smile)
C: Hello! I’m good…. Except for some recurring backache.
P: Oh… You’ve been having backaches?
C: Uh huh…having them for quite a while… actually it was hurting a while ago while I walked in the garden (winces in pain)
P: You ok? (leans forward and closer to C with a worried expression) you seem to be in pain.
C: A bit… it comes and goes… thanks for caring.
P: You’re welcome….. does it hurt now? How do you really feel?
C: Aww… it’s nothing… I just sit it out.
P: Perhaps you should see the doctor about that. It might get worse, you know. The doctor’s office is just down the road. Would you want me to go with you?
C: Hmmm… it’s ok… you know, you are even better than my children.
P: Your children? Why do you say that?
C: (pauses to think… silence for a minute) Because I don’t think they care about me anymore… now that I’m old and out of their way.
P: You think they don’t care for you. (keeps quiet and looks at C’s eyes)
C: Well… they don’t drop by anymore… It’s been.. what… 2 weeks? I guess they are just very busy with their lives
P: How do you feel about that?
C: Hmmm…. I have mixed feelings… sad because they don’t visit… but at the same time when they do, and they tell me stories about what has been happening in their lives, I get excited at how happy they are…. My son, Gabriel…. He’s got a new job as a supervisor in the grocery where he’s been working for 6 years! (smiles and nods)
P: Wow! You must be feeling so proud about him……
C: Oh yes! He’s a fine boy… he and his sister have very busy lives (smile fades away)
P: Well, everyone’s busy nowadays, but that does not mean they do not think about you or do not care anymore.
C: You’re right… I guess I just miss them.
This interview with a lonely old lady in the nursing home went well, with the client sharing her feelings with the practitioner. Attending skills were manifested with how the practitioner maintains eye contact and shows sensitivity to the responses of the old lady (Evans, et al., 2008). When she winced in pain, the practitioner showed concern by leaning forward and asking her if she was ok. The client appreciated the gesture by thanking the practitioner for caring.
Information giving (Evans, et al., 2008) in the following excerpt have been presumptuous.
P: You’re welcome…. does it hurt now? How do you really feel?
C: Aww… it’s nothing… I just sit it out.
P: Perhaps you should see the doctor about that. It might get worse, you know. The doctor’s office is just down the road. Would you want me to go with you?
The practitioner showed good questioning skills by asking an open-ended question such as asking the client how she was really feeling (Evans, et al, 2008). However, when the client did not answer the question beyond the surface of how she really felt inside, the practitioner immediately suggested she see a doctor and gave information and offered her support on how to go there. Thus, the opportunity of going deeper in feelings was lost. The practitioner could have followed it up by asking. “ Aside from the backache, what other feelings do you have right now?” This question is direct and still open ended. The client has many options on how to respond. The practitioner will just follow her lead.
When the client began talking about her children, the practitioner realized that this was an important issue in the client’s life and maybe affecting her state at present. The practitioner listened well, and was very adept at reflecting content (Evans, et al., 2008). This allowed for the client to open up more and share her inner feelings that she feels that her children do not care about her anymore. Such a strong statement may catch any counselor off guard, but the practitioner simply reflected back to the client what she said. “ You think they don’t care for you” and then kept quiet, as a cue for the client to open up some more.
C: Well… they don’t drop by anymore… It’s been.. what… 2 weeks? I guess they are just very busy with their lives
P: How do you feel about that?
In this excerpt, the practitioner could have asked more information about why the client thinks her children are busy. Asking her about how the client feels about her children being busy is good, however, at this particular point, the practitioner had the chance to gather information regarding the cause of her client’s loneliness so she can make better decisions if called for.
When the client shared about her mixed feelings, she highlighted on her joy at her son’s success. Again, attending skills are essential here and the practitioner shared her feelings by exclaiming, “ Wow! You must be feeling so proud about him!” This also served as a reflection of the client’s feelings.
The feeling of joy was fleeting as the client repeated that her children lead very busy lives.
C: Oh yes! He’s a fine boy… he and his sister have very busy lives (smile fades away)
P: Well, everyone’s busy nowadays, but that does not mean they do not think about you or do not care anymore.
C: You’re right… I guess I just miss them.
The practitioner’s offer of information that “ Everyone’s busy nowadays, but that does not mean they do not think about you or do not care anymore” seem to have relieved the client. She agreed to the statement and admitted that she just missed her children, that is why she felt they do not care about her anymore for not visiting her for a long time.
Reference
Evans, D. R., Hearn, M. T., Uhlemann, M. R. & Ivey, A. E. (2008) Essential
Interviewing: A Programmed Approach to Effective Communication.
Thomson Brooks/Cole.