Writing Process Recordings

Purpose:
The primary function of the process recordings is as a learning tool for promoting
therapeutic nurse-patient interactions. Process recordings provide the critical data for
analysis of communication patterns, both verbal and nonverbal. The well-written process
recording:
Provides a verbatim account of your interaction with the patient
Demonstrates your understanding of the meaning of both verbal and
nonverbal patient communication
Documents the degree to which you employ therapeutic communication
techniques
Demonstrates how you respond to patient verbal and nonverbal communication
Provides evidence of your skill in modifying your own communication to
promote therapeutic interactions
Important Questions to Consider about the Interaction:
As you prepare your process recordings, you might want to consider:
1) Goal: What do you want to accomplish during the interaction? Is there specific information
you are seeking? Is this a patient-teaching intervention? An interaction to provide emotional
support?
2) Context: What is the climate on the unit (tense, noisy, etc.)? What activities was the
patient engaged in before the interaction? What staff (nurses, psychiatrists, etc.)
has the patient been interacting with prior to your interaction? Did you initiate the interaction
or did the patient? Is there anything new in the environment? Anything unique?
3) During the interaction: What is your assessment of the patients affect and state of mind as
you begin the interaction? As it progresses? What do you note about the patients body
posture, muscle tension, eye contact, facial expressions, tone of voice. Note when there
periods of silence and the time the elapses before the patient responds.
4) Post-interaction: How is the conversation terminated? What does the patient do immediately
following your interaction?
Analysis and Your Response:
Indicate what youre thinking about what the patient has just said/done. What is the
underlying meaning of the patients verbal and nonverbal communications? For example,
if the patient seems sad, to what do you ascribe the sadness? How did you interpret the
patients statements? How did you interpret and react to nonverbal cues?
Use the columns on the right to provide your rationale why did you respond the way
you did? Why did you pick up on certain themes or emotions and not others? How did
you feel in response to patient statements/behavior?

Writing Process Recordings

Show that youre thinking about what youve learned from your readings and class
discussion about the diagnosis. The same behavior may mean something different to
someone suffering from depression than from someone with a personality disorder.
Evaluation:
Consider whether you accomplished your goal. If you did, what contributed to that
success? If not, why not? What communications skills did you feel confident in? Where
there places you felt lost and unsure how to proceed? What will you do differently in
the future?
Process recordings arent intended to be perfect examples of nurse-patient interactions, but to
give you additional insight into the way you relate to patients. Critical assessment is
more important than saying the right thing. And, of course, use what youve learned to
continue to improve your communication skills in the future.