ACT-RN: The Nurse as Behavioral Change Coach

In psychiatry, you have a "captive audience" so to speak, particularly on lock down psych units.However, for most in nursing, what you speak of may not be possible. There is a attitude towards nursing where "the customer is always right". Coaching tends to be limited to if paperwork recieved, mark yes. If patient does not follow, mark non-compliant.

Great article. I am very familiar with MI and use it a lot- I will check out the other resources you have listed. It really is possible to use MI techniques in the short periods of time that nurses have at their disposal and the more familiar we become with it, the more it becomes a natural part of communication.It's also given me a different attitude about the so-called non-compliant patients. I think they sense that I have a different attitude about treatment adherence, because MI has given me a different vocabulary and skill set to use. Thanks for putting this out there.

I hear you, Ctmed. It can be frustrating. No captives, though: ths is about engaging with the clients, not dictating to them. Still, I agree the culture does not always support coaching. Only we can change that...

Similar experience here, Hey_Suz. The more I learn, the greater the difference I see in the response I get.See ya on the ACBS listservs!