Communication is our most basic skill that we as a human possess, it is required in every day living and is something we take for granted but when analysed we can see that we as nurses can expand on our communication skills to bring more knowledge and understanding and expertise to the care we give to patients. "It is salutary to realise that you cannot not communicate." (Satire, 1967).
             If we consider this statement whether intended or not, every behaviour carried out in the presence of another person will communicate something. As nurses, it will increase our effectiveness in communicating. We need to be aware of the importance and the influence our communication skills will have on people around us and to reassess our skills and be able to adapt them.
             ."There is no doubt that interviewing clients requires skill". (Macquire & Faulkner, 1988). These are often described as social skills and from this come the belief that they do not need to be learnt, since everyone develops social skill in their day-to-day interactions. Professional interactive skills are very different from social skills in several aspects, not least of which are subject matter covered and the perceived difference in status between the patient, who maybe seen as dependant, and the health professional, who maybe seen as expert and powerful, with the right to impose sanctions for non-compliance. (Faulkner, A. 1998).
             Interviewing is stated as being a process that consists of transactional and multidimensional characteristics, and takes place between two people in face-to-face interaction and involves both verbal and non-verbal messages. The interview process involves sharing information through a common set of rules, it is a part of the communication process but differs in that it has a specific purpose, because the interview is intentional, and requires the participants to keep their conversation focused on particular topics. The number of diff...