What is active listening?
Active listening is a communication technique used in various settings, including counseling, training, and conflict resolution. It means the listener fully concentrates, understands, actively responds/engages, and then remembers what is being said.
This is opposed to passive listening, which is a one-way communication of listening without reacting and possibly not understanding.
Active listening fosters a clear understanding between communicators and forms a connection that makes the speaker feel heard and understood. It can de-escalate conflict, encourage the sharing of ideas, and form a pathway for mutual problem-solving. It’s a skill that requires patience, practice, and a genuine desire to understand others.
What active listening is NOT
- Hijacking the conversation and speaking about yourself – it is about listening even if you actively participate in the conversation
- Not reacting at all
- Leading the focus away from the point the speaker was trying to address
- Interrupting
What are examples of active listening in nursing?
Here are a few examples of situations when it can be helpful to apply the active listening technique:
- Taking a medical history (to not miss any subtle details)
- Providing emotional support to patients
- Patient education (e.g., when patients respond and ask questions or share concerns)
- Handling patient complaints
Techniques of active listening
As defined above, active listening involves engaging with what the speaker in the communication situation is saying; showing reactions and signaling one’s attention and comprehension. There are different ways of how you can engage:
Verbal engagement
Ways to verbally engage and show that you are actively listening include:
- Giving vocal signals of understanding like “Oh, hmm” “ok.” (use sparingly)
- Repeating/summarizing what the speaker said
Nonverbal engagement
Ways of nonverbal engagement with the speaker include:
- Avoid anything that takes your attention away from the speaker (phone, fidgeting, etc)
- Lean in slightly with open body language
- Eye contact, if appropriate
- Engage in facial expression
Surroundings and context awareness
- Make sure your environment is free of distractions, calm, and private
- Avoid interruptions or time pressure
- Stay aware of when more distance or silence is needed, or the client is not ready to talk, to avoid pressuring more conversation
