Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Which therapeutic communication technique involves repeating what the client has said?

1. Reflection

2. Restatement

3. Clarification

4. Summarization

The correct answer is: Restatement

The technique that involves repeating what the client has said is known as restatement. This therapeutic communication method allows the client to hear their own thoughts and feelings articulated by the nurse, which can facilitate deeper reflection and understanding. By restating the client’s message in a slightly different way, the nurse demonstrates active listening and ensures that the essence of the client’s statement is captured. This process encourages the client to clarify or expand on their feelings or thoughts, promoting further communication and exploration of their concerns. In contrast, reflection focuses on mirroring the emotional content of the client’s message to help them recognize their emotions. Clarification aims to clear up any confusion and ensure that the message sent by the client is understood correctly. Summarization involves putting together the main points of a conversation to capture the overall content, rather than repeating it verbatim. Each of these techniques has a distinct purpose in enhancing communication between the nurse and the client, but restatement specifically is about repeating the client’s original words.