Communication is a considerable portion of each shift, nurse to nurse, nurse to physician, and of course, nurse to patient. In an earlier post, we reviewed the terminology and parts that go into communication. Now that you know the parts and components of communication now it’s about getting the message across to the receiver. There are many different types of communication, verbal, non-verbal, and therapeutic.
Verbal Communication
Verbal communication is the act of speaking as the mode of communication. Ensuring a capable transaction of communication, a person should have a few fundamental qualities, such as a shared language, both parties being able to hear and speak, and a vocabulary. I have had a multitude of patients who did not share the same language as myself, a translator will be helpful in communicating the basic with the patient. Making sure the patient is not deaf or hard of hearing, once again bring in a translator or making sure the patient has hearing aids in place. A vocabulary, with this I want to describe the proper terminology for the message you are trying to get across and also simplified terms to break down or explain an event, medication, or procedure. Keep in mind even the connotation that some words have over others. Such as describing a person as stubborn has a negative emotional response, whereas using the phrase strong-willed is a more positive approach. As nurses or anyone in the medical field, we indeed have a language of our own, the use of our vernacular day to day, the realization that the general public does not talk in these terms. The message will ultimately be lost on your patient. Other things to keep in mind when using verbal communication is the pacing, too fast the receiver will not comprehend what you are saying, every so often stops and check in that the receiver has understood what you have said so far, ask if they have any questions. This gives them a second to digest before continuing to the next chunk of information. Time relevance, pick the timing of the communication based on the receiver, don’t go into a room and explain a list of medications, or complicated wound dressing, or drain maintenance at midnight or even five in the morning when the patient is sleeping. Find a time to communicate to the patient that they are primed to receive complex information.
Non-Verbal Communication
Humans and animals alike communicate with one another with our body in a more in tune and quiet way. This type of communication is vital for the nurse to pick up from the patient and also something to be aware of in your own mannerism, so the patient isn’t insinuating a message from you that you didn’t want to communicate. Non-verbal cues include appearance, eye contact, personal space, posture, facial expressions, gaits, and silence. You walk into a room, and your patient has a grimace twist to their face, you would be able to investigate if they feel sick or pain. On the flip side, as nurses are usually busy, you want to keep an open line of communication between you and the patient. Every encounter you come in, speak fast, rush in and rush out, never give direct eye contact, and then you’re out the room. Even on the busiest shifts, slow your speech, and make direct eye contact with the patient. A lack of eye contact will translate as untrustworthy, unprepared, and inconsiderate. Talking to people with direct eye contact, even a few seconds will allow people to hold on to the bound between nurse and patient. Even silence, when used right enable the patient to grasp and think when applied to a situation where it is not necessary you come out unprepared and awkward. The non-verbal communication when understood will allow a nurse to communicate more efficiently with a patient than by just using verbal communication.
Therapeutic Communication
Therapeutic communication encompasses all of the previously mentioned types. Therapeutic communication is a patient-centered, patient-specific type. The communication between the two parties is more or less guided by the nurse. The nurse will always have a goal in mind for each therapeutic exchange. At this point, you want to give the patient your time, a caring attitude, complete honesty and trust, and a non-bias, non-judgmental atmosphere. This is where the silence will come in, this allows patients to take the time and think about what they need to say in answering a question whether a yes or no or a profound open-ended question. Asking an open-ended question to field a situation, with a goal to examine the patient, then using yes and no questions to pin point specifics regarding the open-ended answered. Active listening and clarification, the nurse can nod, direct eye contact, and ask questions to understand the full statement from the patient. Reflect, and focusing can also be used as a way to reflect the conversation back on to the patient if they start to ask what would you do, this is a patient-centered communication and needs to be focused on the answers by using questions to find more details.
Nurses communicate a lot in a given shift. Each communication using aspects of verbal, nonverbal, and therapeutic communication, to be able to get a specific message across an understanding of each type will make it easier and more efficient to establish trust and a bond to the patient.