[Sharon]

Think of an example of a circumstance where communication did not go as planned. How would you approach the situation differently after having learned about communication styles and crucial conversations?

[Emma-Leigh]

I had a patient refuse my care and call me out as a student. The patient had a recent yet fast progressing ALS diagnosis. The communication was limited with barriers to her speech ability. It is crucial to put patient centered care at the top of the priorities. Spending more time and trying new ways to effectively understand the patient is of upmost importance.

[Antoinette]

Communication is important between nurse and patient but also just as important between nurse to nurse. For example, one situation happened where a nurse was covering me for break. She gave a pain medication to a patient but the documentation did not record on the eMAR. I wasn’t aware on return to the floor that this med had been removed and so I almost gave the patient another dose of the narcotic. Even though the nurse should have mentioned on report that she gave the pain med. I have learned to writer down anything I have done on my sheet so I don’t forget when giving report back to my buddy nurse.

[Patrice]

As a nursing student, during my clinical practice in the long-term care setting; I had a resident who did not speak English when communicating, however, the resident understood what was spoken in English. Oftentimes medication was refused, displaying a communication style of raising one hand at me, which was a clear indication that I should go away. My approach was to express my understanding and re-approach the resident several times. Whenever there was continuous, I would involve my preceptor to help to address the situation. Another approach was to respect the resident’s autonomy whenever there was continuous refusal, then I would document the refusal and report it to my preceptor for further assessment.

[Brittany]

I began my career as a PSW working in long term care. I absolutely loved to form a good rapport with my patients and did so by being attentive and always ready to help or lend a hand. There was one resident that never took to me and I often wondered why. One day while providing care she said to me I’m not a baby, I can do things on my own. This made me reevaluate my care in this setting. Alot of independence is being taken away at this stage of life and me being extra attentive made her feel as if I thought she wasn’t capable of simple tasks. From that moment I assessed from my first interaction, I asked questions and I allowed patients to take part in as much or as little of their care as they want.

[Ayotunde]

i was to assist a resident in a long-term home where i was having my placement with feeding as he cannot see, hear not speak but he can make sounds that you can know he is trying to pass a message but don’t know what. Everything I did to assist was frustrating the resident as he kept making sounds and the sound got louder. i had to bring out a pen and paper , placed in is hands and he wrote WHY?
Apparently, he was asking why I needed to feed him because he only need guidiance with reaching his cutleries and he could feed himself.

I explained to my preceptor and we documented this in the nursing note so other people can see and use the approach.

[Omono]

I needed to explain a new procedure to an elderly patient, who has language barrier. I used complex medical terms, assuming she would understand. However, looks confused and becomes anxious, indicating a breakdown in communication.
Seeing her facial expression, I realized the importance of clear and simple language. Explaining in layman’s terms, using every day words. I also utilize visual aids such as diagrams or pamphlets to explain better. Visual aids can enhance understanding, especially for elderly individuals who may benefit from visual reinforcement of information

[Amber]

During my placement, I was at a hospice and a family member was concerned about the lack of fluid their family member was consuming. Fluid and food are typically a point of contention for families, during end-of-life care because they view the lack of eating or drinking as starvation and dehydration. I explained the situation about this being a natural progression for end-of-life, and I also provided pamphlets. As I finished, the family appreciated what I was saying but, in respect to their religion, water is seen as the “food of life.” They needed to continue to try to administer water to their family member because of how important water is to their religion. I made an assumption about the family based on my previous experiences rather than asking the right questions to have an understanding of their concerns. By asking more questions, I was able to explain the end-of-life process, while being respectful of the family and their religion.

[Judith]

As a nursing student, during my clinical practice, I used therapeutic communication during every care I gave eg. Bathing, during medication or refusal of medication. for instance, At the hospital, when a client refused his food, meds, and even his bed bath because he felt tired of staying at the hospital. looks confused and becomes anxious, indicating a breakdown in communication. I had to explain why he was still there and make him comfortable by reading a pamphlet for him.

[Adeola]

While working in a Long-term care home, there was this particular resident who was always refusing care from staff related to her dementia. I provided care to this resident using therapeutic communication skills, being there with the patient by enforcing whatever she says she is instead of correcting her, which makes her feel frustrated. She would also participate in her ADLs

[Coleen]

In a previous scenario, I hurriedly delegated tasks to a healthcare assistant without considering their workload or providing clear instructions. Reflecting on communication styles and crucial conversations, I would now prioritize dedicated time for effective communication. I would actively listen to the assistant’s concerns, express expectations clearly, and offer support. By fostering open dialogue and mutual understanding, I aim to create a collaborative environment conducive to safe and efficient patient care.

[Shannon]

During my consolidation at a long term care facility, i found communication was a difficult task at times. During shift change/report, we would be asked to pass some information onto the night shift. the firs time this was required, my nurse and i made a note of it, and then communicated it at night shift change/report. the nurse coming on, wouldn’t accept report from me because i was “just a student|”. my preceptor stepped in and explained that i needed to be treated the same as her. once the staff member had it explained what my position was things improved. i think with more communication about what students are there to do, it would be beneficial

[Rahmatu]

Effective communication is essential in delivering patient-centered care to a patient. It enhances nursing assessment and enables the patient achieve optimal health outcome. Working in a long term care I have had situations where residents refuse care from other staff but would agree to nursing care from me. This is usually because I often approach the resident using a therapeutic form of communication, such as squatting down especially when the patient is in a wheelchair so I can maintain eye contact during communication. This posture helps show the resident that you empathize and validate their feelings.

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