2. Communication
If people spent less time talking and more time
listening, they would have a sense of respect and
understanding of what is expected of each other. This
applies to both caregiver/patient and
employee/supervisor relationships. I believe you
must have good communication skills in order to
succeed.
3. I know you believe
you understood
what you think I said
but I am not sure
you realize that
what you heard
is not what I meant !!
4. Communication
Communication is accomplished by sending and receiving
messages.
-Verbal communication is the most common
method. In order to have effective communication you
must have good listeners.
6. Verbal Communication
is spoken and must be at an
appropriate level for understanding.
Verbal communication uses:
Vocabulary
Clarity of Voice
Organization of Sentences
Tone, Pitch, Volume
7. Non-Verbal
communication uses ones body
to send a message;
body language.
uses: eye contact facial expressions
posture overall appearance
hand & body movements body position
activity level touching
8. Attending Behavior is a form of feedback
- Shows that you are alert and interested in what
the other person is saying to you and is often non-verbal.
5 components
Eye contact-look in the eyes of the person you are
speaking too.
Gestures-use visible body action to communicate.
Posture-stand straight and be confident in what you are
saying.
Physical distance-an arms length is good to use as a rule
of thumb.
Paraphrasing-rephrase what is being said if you do not
understand what is being said or asked of you.
9. Barriers to Communication
Stereotypes are beliefs that are based on generalizations.
Race is the classification of people according to shared
physical characteristics such as skin color,
bone structure, facial features, hair texture, and blood type.
10. Cultural Differences
Understand that culture influences
how people behave and interact with others.
11. Tips for Communication
- Show respect
- Treat all groups equally
- Be aware of your own and the patients’
non-verbal messages
- If you don’t understand something, ask for clarification and
learn something from them
12. Guidelines for Communicating with Patients
- Reflect the patient’s feelings and thoughts by rewording
his statements into questions.
- Give the patient only factual information not your
personal feelings, opinions, or beliefs.
13. Guidelines for Communicating with Patients
- Make eye contact
- Speak clearly and distinctly
- Use touch if appropriate
Do not argue with the patients!!
14. Communicating With The Special Needs Patient
- Before helping someone with a disability, ask if you can
help. Do not assume that someone needs help without
asking them.
- It is alright to use words like see, hear, and run but not
words like cripple, gimp, and retard.
- Don’t define the person by their disability. Don’t say the
deaf patient in exam room 1.
- Shaking hands is appropriate with people who have
Upper extremity disabilities.
15. Hearing Impaired
- Do not approach the patient from behind
- Be sure the patient knows you want to speak
- Increase the room lights
- Face the patient to promote lip reading
- If the patient wears glasses, see that they are on and
check for a hearing aid too
- Speak slowly, concisely and articulate clearly.
- Use visual aids and gestures
- When you are not understood, rephrase rather than
repeat
- Get an interpreter if necessary but speak to the patient
16. Visually Impaired
- Address the patient by name and then touch lightly on
the hand or arm to avoid startling
- Identify yourself and what you are doing
- Be specific when giving directions
- Always let the patient know when
you are leaving the room
- When walking, let the patient grab on to your upper arm
17. Aphasia
- Patient can not understand spoken or written language
or cannot express spoken or written language
- Listen to and wait for patient communication
- Speak slowly and clearly
- Face patient and use non-verbal communication when
necessary
- Paraphrase what has been communicated to you
18. Caring for the Emotionally Stressed or
Behavior Problem Patient
- Don’t take pt. remarks personally. Many people develop
problems in response to unmet needs and figuring out those
unmet needs can reduce or eliminate the behavior.
Stresses are situations, feelings or conditions that cause a
person to be anxious about their physical or emotional well-
being
such as illness, hospitalization, loss of a loved one, job
stress, being away from home and family, age
Stresses can lead to or
aggravate a physical illness.
19. Agitation
- Inappropriate verbal, vocal or motor activities due to causes
other than disorientation or real need.
- Forms of agitation are combative behavior or verbal
aggression.
Factors= frustration, noise, illness, increased stimuli,
drugs, and depression
Behaviors= cursing, spitting, biting,hitting, wandering,
repetitive questioning, demanding attention, screaming,
swearing, accusing, arguing...
Do not argue back!!!
20. Disorientation
- Change in mental status-confusion
- Person shows lack of reality awareness with regard to
time, person or place.
- Can be mild, temporary, prolonged.
- Can occur with Alzheimers disease, stroke, injury to the
brain, fevers, illness, drugs, post surgery, heart attack,
renal failure.....
21. Care of the Disoriented or Dementia Patient
- Be calm and gentle
- Give slow, clear, simple instructions one at a time
- Build self-esteem with the reward of positive comments
- Keep rooms well light and quiet
- Offer simple choices
- Accept communication that does not make sense
22. Dealing with/defusing the Demanding Patient
- Learn to understand the factors causing the behavior.
- Show that you care and follow through.
- KEEP CONTROL OF YOUR EMOTIONS. Don’t be
defensive, don’t take their remarks personally, and remain
neutral.
- Maintain open communication by listening and watching body
language.
23. It’s not always what we say that’s important,
it may be how we say it.
24. Works Cited
Hegner, B., Acello, E., & Caldwell, B. (2010). Basic
Human Needs and Communication. Nursing
Assistant–A Nursing Process Approach BASICS.
New York: Cengage Learning.
