Interpersonal Process Recording (IPR)Purpose
This assignment will help prepare you for conversations with clients with a mental health
condition.
The client roles are:
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Mr. Jones is a 69-year-old retired engineer. He was admitted to the in-patient psychiatric
unit the previous day. His daughter had called the police when he locked himself in his
bathroom and refused to come out. She thought he was suicidal. He was brought to the
hospital by the police and was admitted on involuntary status. He has been reticent
since admission but told his daughter he had no reason to live since his wife died.
Diagnosis: Major Depressive Disorder
Nursing Diagnosis: Risk for suicide.
The first column is for you, the nursing student’s, comments/ questions, and responses. You
may want to include the introduction process. It is understandable if the initial conversation is
more superficial to establish rapport. You may not want to include all of this but move on to the
more focused interaction. Your nonverbal communication is included here.
Then, the conversation will move to a focus on the client’s feelings, concerns, issues as he/she
has identified them. After the introduction, it may be beneficial to establish with the client a
short- term goal for the interaction.
The second column is for the client’s comments, questions, responses. Also, the nonverbal
reactions of the client are included in this column.
The middle column is for you to write what you are thinking or feeling.
The last two columns are for you to document the technique that you used in that portion of
the conversation. If it is a non – therapeutic response, you are to write the response and think of
how you could revise to more therapeutic response. You can change any response if you think
of how you could have responded differently but, identify and change all non – therapeutic
responses.
Remember, this is an assignment that will assist you in all communication with others.
Explanation of the Rubric Criteria for Interpersonal
Process Recording (IPR)
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Communication (20 verbal entries, ten nonverbal, ten techniques)
Criteria 1 Nursing Interaction (verbal and nonverbal) – Nursing statements and
questions demonstrate a positive, caring approach and show insight into the client
needs. These interchanges will include the introduction process, but not the more
superficial interchanges. Nonverbal communication techniques are also recognized.
Thoughts and feelings are identified and documented.
Criteria 2 – The client verbal statements and questions are documented. Nonverbal
communication is also observed and interpreted. You may also identify defense
mechanism(s) used by the client.
Criteria 3 – All communication techniques used are identified (using titles previously
reviewed).
Criteria 4 – All non-therapeutic techniques to be identified and changed to a therapeutic
method. If in the review of the interaction, a more appropriate or therapeutic approach
(verbal or nonverbal) is identified, document how this response/ statement would be
changed