Assess the level of persuasion required to adequately inform and communicate. To accomplish this step, assess the level of competency and the level of credibility of the intended receiver of the information. This step requires that trust be demonstrated during the actual communication. The patient may feel depersonalized and in fact, may blame the nurse if outcomes are poor or do not meet the patient's expectations. Assess the perceptual abilities of both the sender and the receiver.
Perceptual abilities comprise three parts.
The first is transactional, in which both participants are influenced and influence the other. An example is your ability to influence the patient's willingness to comply with his or her care. Therefore, patients can influence you to change your strategies for instructing and for seeking their compliance. The second component of perceptual abilities includes listening and interpreting. These are two critical success factors for effective and accurate communication.