Summary and Closing phase of nursing interview


Step 11: The End of the Interview: Introduction



The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.



Every patient interaction should conclude with a structured end of the interview that usually consists of sharing the information you have obtained with the patient, collaborating with her or him to arrive at an acceptable plan and, where necessary, motivating the patient to act on it. The skills used in the beginning and middle of the interview allow you to gather information from the patient, primarily by asking questions, and establish a relationship with her or him. At some point in the interaction, usually after an appropriate physical exam and/or review of laboratory data, you will need to share your impressions and engage in a conversation about the next steps of diagnosis and/or treatment. You can be tempted to educate and/or motivate patients earlier in the interview, but this vital activity is usually best done after data gathering is completed. A successful end of the interview leads to better health outcomes, because patients are more likely to agree with plans and carry them out. Patients take the pills we prescribe, go for X-rays and tests, and keep their appointments. We do not do it for them. Therefore, the end of the interview is a key element in successful health outcomes.16 See also doc.com Modules 10–12.79



The structure of the end of the interview depends on the needs of the patient. Consider these patients during a single clinic morning. The first patient, new to your care and similar to Mrs. Jones, requires information on your findings from the history and physical examination, answers to questions, and diagnostic and treatment plans for the future. The second is a patient making a follow-up visit to discuss the results of a recent test. Unfortunately, you have discovered a life-threatening disease and you need to deliver bad news to this patient. In this case, you devote a large part of the interaction, following the middle of the interview and physical examination, to delivering the bad news and making subsequent plans. The third patient asks for no information but you want to discuss a topic that the patient does not ask about. You first listen to the patient’s needs using patient-centered interviewing skills and elicit necessary details using clinician-centered skills. Having learned that the patient smokes cigarettes you want to discuss smoking cessation and you devote the end of the interview to motivating the patient to consider smoking cessation.



The end of the interview thus involves issues stemming from either the beginning or middle of the current interview, or from a previous interview; and requires effective skills in delivering information, motivating, and sharing decisions with patients.10,11 The end of the interview guide that follows, outlined in Table 6-1, provides a pathway for ending most clinical interviews. Sections “End of the Interview—Giving Bad News” and “End of the Interview—Motivating Patients for Behavioral Change” describe steps to deliver bad news and motivate patients to adopt healthy behaviors, respectively.




Table 6-1. End of the Interview—General Guide


Table 6-1. End of the Interview—General Guide







  1. Orient patient to the end of the interview and ask for permission to begin discussion


  2. Iteratively explain diagnosis/prognosis; incorporate patient’s informational needs


  3. Invite the patient to participate in shared decision making


  4. Iteratively explain testing and/or treatment options (including doing nothing) until agreement is reached; incorporate patient preferences


  5. Summarize decisions and provide written plans/instructions


  6. Acknowledge and support before saying goodbye


Speak as plainly as possible, avoid jargon, and give information in small chunks with appropriate transitions. Use “teach-back” to explain each new topic. Answer patient’s questions, elicit and/or address patient’s emotional reactions throughout the encounter.





End of the Interview—A General Guide




Orient the Patient to the End of the Interview and Ask for Permission to Begin Discussion

This can be done with a simple statement, such as, “We have about five minutes left; I’d like to share my thoughts about what may be causing your symptoms and then discuss where to go from here. Is that all right with you? Seeking permission before sharing information increases the patient’s receptivity to it.6




Iteratively Explain Diagnostic and/or Prognostic Information; Incorporate Patient’s Informational Needs

Sharing information with patients can be a difficult task as they often do not understand the information provided and forget up to 40% of it.12 Equally problematic, most clinicians underestimate their patients’ desire for information, especially when the patients are shy, reticent, or inarticulate. As a result they spend very little time explaining their findings to patients.4,5,1315 Sharing information effectively does not mean you have to turn the patient into a “mini expert” on the topic under discussion.10 Rather, provide enough information until the patient has a conceptual understanding or ‘gets it’.10 Seeking permission before sharing information increases the patient’s receptivity:6 “Would it be OK if I shared my thoughts about what’s causing your symptoms?” After sharing the diagnosis and before presenting details or plans, use ask-tell-ask to (1) establish the patient’s baseline knowledge and help you tailor your message for maximum benefit (ask). See also doc.com Module 10.7

Once you have better understood the patient’s informational needs, (2) tell her or him what she or he needs to know. Categorize data where possible; for example, “First let’s talk about what migraine is and then …” Depending on their expectations, health beliefs, previous experiences, or general disposition, some patients can perceive as “bad news” diagnostic data that you consider routine.16,17 One way to mitigate this may be to deliver good prognostic information before you declare the diagnosis,18 for example “After reviewing all the information I feel confident that we have an excellent chance of controlling your headaches. I believe you have migraine headaches.” In any case, it is important to monitor the patient closely as you discuss diagnostic and prognostic information. Always be prepared to express empathy using naming, understanding, respecting, and supporting (NURS) and answer questions. Use the steps outlined in Section “End of the Interview—Giving Bad News” and Table 6-2 in the cases where you anticipate strong negative reactions to the news you are about to deliver.


Table 6-2. Giving Bad News


Table 6-2. Giving Bad News







  1. Prepare yourself to give bad news



    1. Prepare emotionally


    2. Confirm the medical facts


    3. Prepare your delivery (consider patient personality, health literacy)


    4. Arrange proper place and adequate time


    5. Determine who the patient would like to be present



  2. Establish what the patient (and family) already knows



    1. Set the stage if not already done


    2. Ensure a safe, comfortable, private setting


    3. Ensure patient’s readiness to hear the bad news


    4. Set the agenda


    5. Address/negotiate another time for patient’s unrelated concerns


    6. Assess patient’s ability to comprehend the news



  3. Determine how much the patient wants to know



    1. Recognize, support various patient preferences



      1. Decline voluntarily to receive information


      2. Designate someone to communicate on her or his behalf



    2. People handle information differently



      1. Race, ethnicity, culture, religion, socioeconomic status, age, and developmental level




  4. Deliver the bad news



    1. Start with a warning shot


    2. Give the news, then stop

      Be comfortable with silence; do not rush patient


    3. Give information in small chunks (categories) with appropriate transitions


    4. Speak as plainly as possible


    5. Allow patient to determine pace and flow


    6. Encourage/answer questions directly



  5. Use relationship-building skills to express empathy



    1. Monitor/address patient’s emotional reaction throughout interaction


    2. Use emotion-seeking and empathy skills (NURS)


    3. Recognize that your presence alone can be therapeutic


    4. Convey hope while avoiding false reassurances


    5. Reassure patient of your support; that you will not abandon


    6. Explore beliefs about implications of the bad news



  6. Iteratively explain and negotiate next steps



    1. Provide details as requested by the patient


    2. Develop a plan for the future



      1. May include further testing, treatment, consultations


      2. Schedule next follow-up telephone and/or in patient contact(s)



    3. Assess/address patient safety/suicidality


    4. Ensure support system is available, including spiritual resources. If necessary, help patient to access support


    5. Ask patient to summarize main points and next steps


    6. Correct misunderstandings.


    7. Provide (written or taped) summary of discussion




While giving information, speak as plainly as you can, avoiding medical jargon, for example, saying “pain killer” instead of “analgesic” and “cancer” instead of “carcinoma.” Use clear, short statements with simple words about just one bit of data at a time. Encourage and answer questions until the patient understands the information. Periodically ask (to complete ask-tell-ask) the patient to “teach back” information,19 for example, “Just to be sure we are on the same page, can you tell me what you understand so far?” or, “When you get home your spouse is going to ask, ‘What did the doctor say?’ What will you tell him?” Correct any misunderstanding and repeat the most important messages if the patient does not mention them. It may be necessary to ask additional questions to check the patient’s understanding of major points. “Closing the loop” using ask-tell-ask enhances patient understanding and adherence.19 Do not provide more data until the initial material is clarified and assimilated. Remember to assess and address the patient’s emotional reaction(s) to the information given.




Invite the Patient to Participate in Shared Decision Making

Clinicians are increasingly expected to involve patients in decisions about their care.10 For example, the 2010 Affordable Care Act includes provisions that foster shared decision-making in clinical practice. A clinician may order the right tests and prescribe the best treatments, but these will do no good if a patient is not be able or willing to follow the clinician’s recommendations. Many patients are not aware that they can or should participate in decision making; so, explicitly invite patients to participate11 by saying, for example, “I’d like us to make this decision together,” or “I want to make sure whatever we decide works for you; so, I want you to be sure to let me know your preferences and concerns about where to go from here.”




Iteratively Explain Testing and/or Treatment Options and Incorporate Patient Preferences until the Patient Understands and Agreement Is Reached

Some clinical decisions, such as whether or not to order a routine blood test, only require a clear statement of what you would like to do and why, for example, “I think we should check your iron level to see how much blood you have lost. Does that seem reasonable to you?” Typically, these basic decisions have clear, singular outcomes. Other decisions, like starting a new medication have moderately uncertain outcomes but are not controversial. These decisions usually require discussion of alternatives with their pros and cons; for example, “We need to control your blood pressure better. We could increase the dose of your water pill or add a medication called a beta blocker. The higher dose of the water pill might make you urinate a lot but the beta blocker might make you fatigued. Are you clear about the pros and cons of these choices? What would you like to do?”11

Decisions that are controversial require explanation of the associated uncertainties; for example, “We should talk about your desire for a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. The test can detect very small cancers, but it can also be abnormal if you have large prostate with no cancer. Unfortunately, finding prostate cancer early is unlikely to help you live any longer, and we do know that there can be serious side effects from testing and treatment such as erectile dysfunction and incontinence. However, different men have different preferences so, I would like to hear your views. Do you have any questions about the test? Would you still like me to order the test?”11 Regardless of the complexity of the clinical decision, be sure patient understands pertinent information and decisions by asking her or him to “teach [them] back.”19

Decisions that require patients to significantly change their behaviors often require more active engagement from the clinician than just explaining and inviting patient participation. The section “End of the Interview—Motivating Patients for Behavioral Change” describes a method that has been effective for motivating behavioral change in some of the most difficult patients in clinical practice.2022 See also doc.com module 31.23




Summarize Decision(s) and Provide Written Plans/Instructions

Summarize the conversation and be prepared to provide a handout if necessary; be sure the patient can read and understand the written information. “We have decided that you will take one pill every morning and every evening until the bottle is empty, that will be 7 days. We also agreed that you would come back in … Here is a handout of the exercises we talked about … Do you have any problem reading it? If necessary, have patient “teach back”19 the discussion one last time.




Acknowledge and Support the Patient before Saying Goodbye

“It was good to see you again.” “Please call if you think of any other questions before our next visit.” “Take care of yourself and say hello to your spouse for me.”


Conclusion of Mrs. Jones Visit


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Clinician:

We have about five minutes left. If it’s okay, I’d like us to talk about where to go from here. [Clinician orients patient to end of interview and asks for permission to begin discussion]

Patient:

Please go ahead.

Clinician:

Well, based on your history and physical examination, I’m pretty confident that I know what is going on.

Patient:

Oh good.

Clinician:

The good news is that you probably don’t have a life-threatening disease like cancer or stroke. I think you have migraine headaches. Tension headache is also possible, but less likely. Do you know anything about migraines? [notice how clinician begins with good news before sharing the diagnosis. Before explaining further the clinician tries to establish patient’s prior knowledge (first “ask” in ask-tell-ask)]

Patient:

Not much, but one of my coworkers mentioned it when I was telling her about my headaches. Boy I’m glad to hear that I don’t have stroke or cancer.

Clinician:

I can certainly understand that. I’m glad to be able to address that concern. [Here, the clinician expresses empathy with an understanding and support statement]

Patient:

Me too.

Clinician:

Okay, let’s talk about what causes migraines; and then we can talk about what to do about it. The exact cause isn’t known, but there is probably a problem with how blood vessels on your brain react to stress and other factors. Sometimes what you eat, changes in weather or hormones in your body can “trigger” a migraine. We will have to figure out what your other triggers are, but it certainly sounds like stress is one of them. [Clinician first indicates the topics to be discussed, and then explains, using plain language]

Patient:

[Nodding] How can we find out if I have any other triggers?

Clinician:

The best way is to keep a diary of your headaches. I can give you a handout: every time you get a headache, you will write down what you ate or drank, events prior to the headache, things like that. Bring the diary to your next appointment and you and I can look to see if we can figure out what brings on the headaches. Do you think you can do that? [Clinician follows the patient’s guide in iterative discussion by answering patient’s questions and responding to emotions and feelings]

Patient:

I can certainly try.

Clinician:

Okay, once we figure out what your triggers are, we can talk about how to avoid them. In the meantime, I have some suggestions about what to do to help the headaches. Is it okay if I talk about them now?

Patient:

Yes, please, that’s what I need.

Clinician:

First let me say that I want to make sure we decide what’s best for you; so, please let me know if you have any preferences or concerns about anything we discuss.

Patient:

Okay.

Clinician:

Sometimes just managing stress and knowing that you do not have a life-threatening disease can really help the headaches; so, it is reasonable to just wait and see, but I’d like to prescribe a medication that can help with the headaches if they become too frequent or unbearable.

Patient:

Oh, that would be great. I’d definitely like to avoid taking pills if possible, but I like the idea of having something on hand in case I need it.

Clinician:

Okay. You don’t have to remember all this, because it will be written out on the pill bottle, but for the pills to work best, you will need to take one at the first sign of a headache. If the headache is not significantly improved, take another one after 2 hours.

Patient:

I’m glad it will all be written down.

Clinician:

Absolutely. In fact, I can send prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy right now so that they will be ready when you get there. Which pharmacy would you like me to send it to? (Clinician sends prescription electronically to pharmacy after explaining dosage and instructions to patient.)

Patient:

Thank you.

Clinician:

So, if you go home and your husband asks you what we talked about, what will you tell him? [Clinician is closing loop by inviting patient to “teach back.”]

Patient:

I have migraine headaches. They are caused by a problem with the blood vessels in my brain, but stress can make it worse … I have to figure out what else can bring them on by keeping a diary of my headaches, activities, and what I eat. In the meantime if my headaches become unbearable, you want me to take this medicine whenever I get a headache; but you don’t want me to take more than two pills for any one headache. Is that right?

Clinician:

Perfect. Now, it is important for us to see each other again in about a month to see how you are doing and go over your diary. Will you be able to come for a follow up appointment in about a month?

Patient:

Yes, that will be all right.

Clinician:

Here is a sheet that summarizes everything that we have talked about. It explains what a migraine is and some of the things that trigger it. It also has a headache diary for you to keep and gives some suggestions about how to relax when you are in the middle of a stressful situation. I’d like you to read it when you get home and we can talk some more about it at your next appointment.

Patient:

Okay. What about my colitis?

Clinician:

Thanks for bringing that up. I’d like you to sign this form to allow us to get your records from Dr. Jergens. In the meantime, our referral clerk will call you next week, after we get approval by your insurance company, to schedule an appointment with the specialist.

Patient:

Okay, thank you.

Clinician:

Can I answer any other questions before we finish?

Patient:

What are the side effects of the medicine I will be taking?

Clinician:

Excellent question. A rare but significant side effect is chest pain, and you should call right away if you experience this. It is also possible to have an allergic reaction to it. This side effect is also pretty rare, but you can call me if you have any problems with it, and we can try something else.

Patient:

What are the 4 phases of the nursing interview?

Four Phases of a Nursing Interview: Preparatory phase, Introduction, Working phase, Termination. Preparatory Phase: During the Preparatory Phase the nurse reviews all data and does not let his/her own prejudices and stereotypes affect the nurse-patient relationship.

How do you close a patient interview?

End of the Interview—A General Guide.
Orient the Patient to the End of the Interview and Ask for Permission to Begin Discussion. ... .
Invite the Patient to Participate in Shared Decision Making. ... .
Summarize Decision(s) and Provide Written Plans/Instructions..

What are the two 2 approaches to an interview in nursing process?

Two types of patient interviews are common: the problem-oriented interview and the health promotion interview. The problem-oriented interview addresses the patient's current and past health concerns.

What is the conclusion of nursing process?

CONCLUSION: The use of the nursing process to identify the nursing diagnosis of fatigue, design and implement specific nursing interventions, and evaluate patient outcomes leads to quality nursing care.