3.8 The Client Interview

The client interview is an important component of nursing practice and involves several sources as reflected in Figure 3.4. It involves communicating with the client—who is considered the primary source—to collect subjective data (i.e., information that the client shares with you or the client’s family/friends). The client interview may also involve collecting data from secondary sources such as family, friends, care partners, and other health care providers. It is part of your assessment in which you learn about the client and combine these collected data with objective data (information that you collect when performing a physical exam).

The importance of good communication cannot be overstated. It is a foundational pillar of a good interview. The interview often serves as the impetus for therapeutic action. For example, without a client disclosing chest pain, it would be difficult for you to interpret what is wrong or ailing the client. The care provided by nurses is contingent on the accuracy of the data they collect, so nurses must develop their relational skills to accurately and holistically gather useful data from clients. If data are lacking, nurses are limited in providing effective care. For example, clients may not share certain problems if they are unsure whether you care or are interested. Also, clients may be afraid to reveal relevant health information because they fear judgment or ridicule, which could impede your ability to address their health issue.

Attribution

This chapter contains material taken from The Complete Subjective Health Assessment by Jennifer L. Lapum, Oona St-Amant, Michelle Hughes, Paul Petrie, Sherry Morrell, and Sita Mistry and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.