<![CDATA[This study examines the communicative functions of instructional utterances in doctor–patient interactions at the Pain Clinic of RSUD Genteng Banyuwangi. It specifically aims to identify how healthcare professionals use instructional utterances to guide and coordinate patients during clinical encounters. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were obtained from audio-recorded doctor–patient consultations and analyzed according to the contextual function of utterances, with particular attention to the distinction between instructional utterances and directive speech acts. The findings identified four communicative functions: (1) regulating patients’ bodily actions and positions, (2) managing patients’ emotional states, (3) providing treatment-related instructions and medical restrictions, and (4) managing procedural flow and patient participation. The findings also show that instructional utterances are not limited to direct commands. Some utterances function as procedural announcements that orient patients to ongoing or forthcoming clinical activities. Moreover, a single utterance may perform multiple functions simultaneously, particularly bodily and emotional regulation. The study concludes that instructional utterances constitute a broader, context-dependent communicative construct than directive speech acts. They serve to coordinate patient behavior and organize clinical activities throughout different stages of the medical encounter. ]]>
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