Communication – Nursing 101 – Flashcards
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Communication
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Reciprocal process in which messages are sent & received between people.
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Sender
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The person conveying the message
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Receiver
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the individual or individuals to whom the message is conveyed.
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One-Way-Communication
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Highly structured. Sender is in control & expects & "gets" very little response from the receiver. Has very little place in nursing/patient relationship.
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Two-Way-Communication
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Requires that both the sender & the receiver participate in the interaction. It meets both parties needs & establishes a trusting relationship.
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Verbal Communication
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Involves that use of spoken or written words or symbols.
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Connotative Meaning
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It is subjective that reflects the individuals perception or interpretation.
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Denotative Meaning
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Commonly accepted definition of a particular word.
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Jargon
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Common place language or terminology unique to people in a particular work setting.
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Non-Verbal Communication
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Messages transmitted without the use of words. Tone of voice, rate of voice, volume of speech, eye contact, physical appearance and use of touch.
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Eye Contact
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Communicates an intention to interact. Extended eye contact can express aggression. 2-6 seconds helps to involve the other person in what is being said without seeming intimidating.
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What does lack of eye contact communicate?
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Shyness, lack of confidence, disinterest, embarrassment, hurt, deference/respect.
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Physical Appearance
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Includes attributes of size, color of skin, dress, grooming, posture & facial expression.
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Gestures
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Movements people use to emphasize the idea they are attempting to communicate.
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Posture
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The way an individual sits, stands & moves.
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Open Posture
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Relaxed stance without crossing arms and legs. Face the other individual, leaning toward the individual. Smile & direct eye contact.
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Closed Posture
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Formal, generally with arms & legs tightly crossed. Can be interpreted as disinterested, cold and even non accepting.
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Assertive Communication
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Your ability to confidently & comfortably express thoughts and feelings while still respecting the legitimate rights of the patient. Takes into account the feelings of the patient, while honoring your rights as an individual.
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Aggressive Communication
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When you interact with another in an overpowering & forceful manner to meet your own personal meeds at the expense of the other.
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Unassertive Communication
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When one party agrees to do what the other party wants, even though doing so creates additional problems for the first party.
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Therapeutic Communication
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An exchange of a positive nurse-patient relationship and actively involves the patient in all areas of their care.
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Non-Therapeutic Communication
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Blocks the development of a trusting & therapeutic relationship.
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Listening - Active
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Required full attention. Hearing & interpretation of the meaning, then giving feedback indicating your understanding of the message.
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Listening - Passive
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Indicates that you are listening, the eye contact, nodding and verbally using phrases of "Uh-huh" and "I see". Attempt to avoid passive listening.
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Silence
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An extremely effective communication tool.
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Touch
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Inherent in the practice of nursing.
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Minimal encouragement communication technique
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Communicates to the patient that you are interested and what to hear more.
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Closed Question
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Focused and seeks a particular answer.
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Open Ended
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Does not require a specific answer. Conveys the message that you are interested in the patient.
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Restating
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Repeat to the patient what you believe they are trying t communicate.
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Paraphrasing
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Restating of the patients message in your own words to verify that your interpretation of the message is correct.
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Clarifying
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Suggest one of your own ideas about what the patient is trying to communicate, back to them, in a manner that asks the patient to verify that your enhanced version is accurate.
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Focusing
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Encourages the patient to select one topic over another as the primary focus of discussion.
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Reflecting
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Assists the patient to reflect on inner feelings & thoughts rather than seeking answers & advice from another.
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Stating Observation
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Making a observation of the patient during an interaction & communicating these observations back to the patient.
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Offering Information
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Provide the patient with relevant date and ask for feedback to determine the patient's level of understanding.
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Summarizing
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Concise review of main ideas from a discussion.
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Intimate Zone
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From Touching to 18 inches away from a person.
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Comfort Zone
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An individual line marks an area surrounding each of us and sets the boundaries of our territory, the intangible personal space of another.
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Personal Zone
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18 inches to 4 feet away from a person. Sitting & talking with a patient is an example of an interaction in the personal zone.
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Environment
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Make every attempt to have a calm, relaxed environment for communicative interaction.
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How to gain trust
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Demonstrate confidence and and competence. Be sensitive to their previous experiences and demonstrate a genuine effort to make the current situation a positive experience for the patient.
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Language Barrier
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Attempt to find an interpreter. Use families as interpreter with great caution. Never use children as interpreter.
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Culture
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A significant component of a patient's psycho-social wellbeing.
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Age and Gender
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A significant different in age between nurse and patient can cause a barrier to communication. Teenagers may prove to have jargon or difficulty in communication with nurse. The attitude toward specific genders may interfere with effective communication. Also physician versus nurses stereotypes may result in patients that do not communicate effectively with information given by nurses.
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Physiological factors
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Pain can effect ability to express or understand. Altered cognition related to diagnosis can affect understanding. Impaired hearing can also affect ability to receive information.
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Psycho-social Factors
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The stress levels of the patient may affect the patients level of communication. Grieving results from perceived fears.
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Blocks to communication
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Impaired verbal communication R/T diagnosis, ventilator-dependent patients, aphasic patients, unresponsive patient
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Altered methods of communication
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Communication board, can communicate through blinking eyes,
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Aphasia
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deficient or absent language function resulting from ischemic insult to the brain.
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Expressive Aphasia
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Unable to send the desired verbal message
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Receptive Aphasia
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An inability to recognize or interpret the verbal message being received.
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Unresponsive Patient
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Never assume that the patient cannot understand what is being said around them. Talk directly to the patient, explain what you are doing.
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All interactions result in:
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The occurrence of some form of communication.
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Communication is both:
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Verbal and nonverbal.
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Nonverbal communication is:
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Very powerful.
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The manner or style in which a message is communicated:
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Greatly influences the mood and the overall outcome of an interaction.
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Communication in nursing
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Should be therapeutic.
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Trust is essential:
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To effective nurse-patient interaction.
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Active listening is:
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One of the most effective methods of therapeutic communication.
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Touch is a form of:
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Non-verbal communication that is inherent in the practice of nursing.
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Humor is potentially:
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A powerful tool in promoting the well-being of an individual.
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Numerous factors:
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affect communication.
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Responses that block communication:
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False reassureance, giving advice, personal opinions, false assumptions, approval or disapproval, automatic responses, defensiveness, arguing, asking for explanations, changing the subject.
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How to communicate with patients are are cognitively impaired:
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Reduce Environmental distractions. Get patients attention. Use simple sentences. Avoid Long explanations. Ask one question at a time. Allow patient time to respond. Be an attentive listener. Include family and friends in conversation.
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effective communication with patients who have hearing impairments.
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Check for assistive devices - hearing aides, glasses. Reduce environmental noise. Get patient's attention before speaking. Face patient with mouth visible. Do not chew gum. Speak at normal volume. Rephrase instead of repeating. Provide a sign language interpreter if needed.
