6.7 Beginning the Interview
Learning Objectives
- Explain why an effective introduction is so important to establishing a positive relationship with the client.
- Identify the elements of an effective introduction to an interview or encounter.
- Practice an interview or encounter introduction.
There is a standard way to begin interviews or encounters so the client knows who you are and why you are there.
Introducing Yourself and Addressing the Client
Begin by introducing yourself by name and category to the client, and determine how the client wants to be addressed (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2019). Best practice has shifted to include your pronouns and ask which pronouns the client uses to create an inclusive environment. For example, a health professional may say, “Hello, I am Mac Li Ken Ji. I am a speech-language pathologist. Please call me Mac. My pronouns are he/him. How would you like me to refer to you, and what pronouns do you use?” It is important not to use “preference” when referring to pronouns and gender, as these are not preferences.
As a health studies student, you should identify your category based on your institutional requirements. For example, you may consider identifying the year of your program (e.g., speech-language student Year One, nursing student Year Two) and with whom you are working.
Identifying the Purpose of the Encounter
Part of the introduction phase of the client interview or encounter is to identify your role, which involves the purpose of the encounter. You should also notify the client that any information collected will be kept confidential and, if applicable, identify with whom the client’s information will be shared. Health professionals often let clients know that they will also be taking notes.
Here are some examples:
Example 1: I want to interview you about your illness. It will take about 10 minutes and begin with me asking you how you feel. Is that okay? [client: yes]. I also want to let you know everything you share will be kept confidential between myself and the healthcare team involved in your care, including the physicians, speech-language therapists, dieticians, social workers and physiotherapists. [client: okay]. Please note that I will be taking notes as we talk, and I will ask you questions that help me understand your health concerns and how best to care for you today. If you have any questions, feel free to ask at any time.
Example 2: You came into the clinic because you noticed a decline in your hearing. Before the audiologist comes in, I want to ask you a few questions about your hearing. It will take about 10 minutes. Is that okay? [client: yes]. I also want to let you know everything you share will be kept confidential between myself and the healthcare team involved in your care, including myself and the audiologist. [client: okay]. Please note that I will be taking notes as we talk, and I will ask you questions that help me understand how you are feeling, your health concerns, and how best to care for you today. Please stop me and ask if you have any questions.
Watch: Videos
The following short videos demonstrate effective and ineffective introductions to the patient interview (consider sharing your gender pronouns with the client and asking what pronouns they use).
Effective Interview Introduction
Video Transcript (see Appendix B 6.7.1)
Ineffective Interview Introduction
Key Takeaways
- There is a standard way to begin interviews or encounters so the client knows who you are and why you are there.
- Introduce yourself by name and category to the client, and determine how the client wants to be addressed.
- Ensure the client understands the purpose of the interview as well as your purpose and role in the interview or encounter.
Exercises
After watching both videos, review the following questions:
- What contributed to the effective introduction in the first video?
- What contributed to the ineffective introduction in the second video?
- Write an introduction for an interview or encounter with a client in your practice area.
- Practice verbalizing your introduction and reflect on the following:
- How did you feel during the introduction?
- What felt natural?
- What felt awkward?
References
College of Nurses of Ontario. (2019). Therapeutic nurse-client relationship, revised 2006. https://www.cno.org/globalassets/docs/prac/41033_therapeutic.pdf
Media Attributions
Lapum, J., St.-Amant, O., Hughes, M., & Garmaise-Yee, J. (Eds.)(2020). Effective and ineffective interview introductions [Video]. In Introduction to communication in nursing (Ch. 2). Toronto Metropolitan University Pressbooks. https://pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca/communicationnursing/chapter/beginning-the-interview/#video-52-2
Attribution Statement
Content adapted, with editorial changes, from:
Lapum, J., St.-Amant, O., Hughes, M., & Garmaise-Yee, J. (Eds.)(2020). Introduction to communication in nursing. Toronto Metropolitan University Pressbooks. https://pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca/communicationnursing/
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
