Communication Strategies

Week 5: Communication Strategies Consider a situation in which communication occurred with a non-nursing professional or patient’s family. What barriers or challenges were apparent? What strategies were used or could be used to overcome the barriers or challenges? Professor and class, Patient centered care involves shifting from a culture of asking what is the matter, to a culture of asking what matters to the patient. Communication strategies are fundamental in creating a healthy culture and enabling nurses to engage patients and their families in decisions about their care. With increasingly complex medications and treatments, nurse-patient/family communication and the role of the nurse in bridging communication gaps becomes even more important. In an interaction witnessed between a family member of a critical patient and a nurse, several barriers were immediately evident. The nurse rolled her computer cart into the room and began to ask questions about the patient. Her computer screen completely blocked her view of the family member. She stood as she asked questions and multitasked on the computer while discussing the patients care. She read from the physicians note in an attempt to explain the issues. The face of the family member made it obvious that there was not a clear understanding of the discussion. This scenario, witnessed in the critical care unit, could have negatively influenced decisions and care for the patient. When patients arrive at the hospital in serious condition, anxiety levels are high and the need for timely information is increased. Communication should be clear, concise, and only include medical terms in conjunction with interpretation (Warrillow, Farley, & Jones, 2015). Effective communication is more than words. It encompasses both verbal and non-verbal communication including facial expressions, body movements, and eye contact. To overcome the barriers and improve the effectiveness of communication, several simple strategies should be incorporated. Initially, the nurse should enter the room centered and focused on the patient and family. Multitasking can be viewed as uncaring and can give the perception that the patient or family member is not valued. The computer, if needed for the communication, should be placed so that the nurse and family member are in a position to make eye contact and enable the nurse to critically listen and interpret what is being said and displayed. Information must be in non-medical language to minimize confusion. Incorporating these strategies will lead to more effective communication and engagement of the patient/family. Thanks, Angela Reference Warrillow, S., Farley, K., & Jones, D. (2015). Ten practical strategies for effective communication with relatives of ICU patients. Intensive Care Medicine, 41(12), . doi:10.1007/s