Talking with the patient

How to use motivational interviewing

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

Motivational interviewing helps patients find their own reasons to change. It works for smoking, alcohol, weight and taking medicines.

Step by step

  1. Engage

    Build trust with a warm, respectful start and show real interest. [1]

  2. Ask open questions

    Use questions that need more than yes or no, such as: What concerns you about your drinking? [1]

  3. Affirm

    Notice and name the patient's strengths and efforts. [1]

  4. Reflect

    Repeat back the meaning of what they said, for example: You want to stay healthy for your kids. [1]

  5. Draw out change talk

    Ask them to rate from 0 to 10 how important change is and how confident they feel. [1]

  6. Roll with resistance

    Do not argue. Reflect their doubts and explore them. [1]

  7. Summarize and plan

    Sum up their reasons and ask what step they want to take next. [2]

Common errors

Practice it in VMS

In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

VMS cases that train this skill

11 VMS cases train this skill: open the case library

Sources

  1. AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
  2. AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back)

Facts and steps follow AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs); AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.