I was not sure what to expect from this simulation at first because it is a different set up than the others I have experienced. I think my group learned a lot from the experience with the first patient that we were able to apply to the subsequent patients. We approached the first patient scenario separately, rather than as a team. The conversation sounded like it was aimed at checking boxes off a list, rather than making a connection with the patient. This hindered us from gathering deeper insight into the patient’s condition and outlook. I think this approach made it more difficult for us as we each separately asked a few questions off our lists and did not dive any deeper or really evaluate the patient’s responses to our questions. In a real interaction, it is important to listen to what the patient is telling you and to take note of their non-verbal communication cues as well. These strategies help the nurse get a more detailed understanding of the patient. It was interesting to see the different presentations of the three disorders, and to connect those to what I have seen in clinical. Each of the disorders required different therapeutic communication techniques. However, all three patients benefitted from a comforting and caring approach with active listening. Overall, I learned the importance of engaging with the patient in the moment when speaking with them to get a more accurate and full assessment.