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Best Practices Newsletter
Communication with Patients: What a New Nurse Needs to Know!
October 10, 2007 | by supportfornurses | Permalink
As a nurse, one of the most challenging aspects of patient care is the ability to communicate effectively with each of your patients so they truly understand—understand what they need to do to adequately support their self-care. This is particularly important if you are treating a client with limited literacy. And since 1/5th of the American population can be described as ‘functionally illiterate’, it is important that instructions given to this patient population is delivered effectively. Note: this doesn’t mean that patients with limited literacy are stupid; it simply means that they either have a limited education or are struggling to communicate in a language that is not native to them.
As a first step, always assess what a patient is capable of understanding; there may be obvious signs, such as a patient who struggles with expression (can’t find the right words, etc) or a patient whose vocabulary is severely limited; in this case, directions should be delivered in a very simple and succinct manner; sometimes, the use of symbols can help increase a patient’s ability to understand; a typical example is the use of symbols (a series of facial expressions) to help patients communicate the level of pain they are experiencing. A variety of symbols and pictures can be very helpful in increasing a patient’s ability to understand.
Language: make sure your language is concrete and uncomplicated; avoid using words that are familiar to you, but may not be at all familiar to the patient; for example, your patients with limited literacy may not know or use the words like ‘urinate’ or ‘stool’; therefore, you may want to substitute the word ‘pee’ for urine and ‘B.M.’ or ‘bowel movement’ for stool. Also, look for clues in the patient’s language; if you hear a patient describe how they are feeling using their own metaphors or slang, ask them the meaning (to ensure your comprehension), and then use their language when communicating with them.
Consistency of language: when giving a patient an instruction use the same word repeatedly so as to minimize confusion; for example, if you use the word ‘drug’ to refer to a medication prescribed to the patient, then keep using the word, ‘drug’; otherwise, it may confuse a patient if they hear the word ‘drug’ in one sentence and ‘medication’ in the next; they may think you are referring to two different medications.
Finally, it can be challenge to slow down and strategize the best way to communicate to clients who struggle with language and literacy; spending more time with these patients may give you the desired outcome: fewer mistakes related to a patient’s understanding of their self-care and a higher level of patient satisfaction—what more can you ask for?
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- 80 (PLUS) Terrific Tips for a Successful Transition: New Grad to Competent Nurse
- Tips and Strategies for Effective Time Management;
- 72 (PLUS) Tips for Accurate, Legal and Ethical Documentation
Health educators: don’t forget to read the sample of the tool-kit when visiting the website: Orienting Foreign-born Nurses to Work Effectively in American Hospitals: A Tool-kit for Health Educators; and consider purchasing our highly acclaimed, 65 Tips for Foreign-born Nurses Working in American Hospitals, an accessible reference guide for a nurse who needs to adapt to an American healthcare environment.
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