Which is an example of a good communication techniques when communicating with an elderly patient?

Because so much of our communication is nonverbal, it is essential that we examine each aspect of nonverbal communication to see its effect on our interactions with the older adult (Figure 5-1).

If two people entered a room—one wearing a white laboratory coat with a stethoscope around her neck and the other wearing a clerical collar and a cross—what message would you receive? Would these people have to say anything for communication to take place? What is being communicated? The items we wear or carry (e.g., clothing, jewelry, stethoscopes, masks, gowns, and gloves) send messages; we use these symbols to communicate something about who we are. Distinctive uniforms are worn to make people identifiable. Police officers, flight attendants, clergy, and nurses wear uniforms so that they can be recognized even in a crowd.

Body Language

You walk past a room and observe a nurse standing in the doorway, with his or her head sticking into the room and body still in the hallway. The nurse’s mouth is saying, “Can I help you?” but the body is saying, “I’m in a hurry. You really don’t want anything, do you?” We communicate many things by how we move, stand, sit, and position our bodies. In dealing with all patients, but particularly older adults, it is important that we be aware of what we are communicating through our body language.

In situations in which the words and body language are conveying two different messages, most people respond to the body language. Standing at the door, hurrying down the hallway, sitting behind the nurses’ station, and working in the medication or treatment room all communicate that the nurse is busy and does not want to be interrupted. Many older adults and their families are intimidated by this body language and may hesitate to interrupt, even to report serious concerns. Nurses must be careful not to create barriers between themselves and their patients. Going into the rooms to talk with patients, sitting down at eye level with residents, and spending time in the lounge with visitors are all ways of nonverbally communicating that you are truly interested and concerned.

Another part of nonverbal communication involves watching for the messages that patients are communicating to us through their body language. For example, patients who slump down or slouch in their chairs may be communicating fatigue or physical weakness, or they may be communicating a lack of interest, sadness, defiance, or a number of other things. Turning away from the nurse could indicate anger, fear, or lack of interest. When body language says something different from the words, believe the body language. Explore the situation using techniques such as reflective or open-ended statements. (These techniques are clarified later in the chapter.)

To be a successful healthcare provider, clinical nurse or nurse leader, you need exceptional communication skills—and you need to be able to use them during high-stress situations.

Why Is Communication Important in Nursing?

Having good communication skills is essential to collaborating on teams with your fellow nurses and colleagues from other disciplines. It’s also important to patient-centered care.

Nurses who take the time to listen and understand the concerns of each of their patients are better prepared to address issues as they arise, resulting in better patient outcomes.

On the other hand, poor communication, or lack of communication in healthcare, can lead to patients misunderstanding directions and failing to follow treatment protocols. It can also lead to workflow breakdowns on the team, resulting in a medical error. A report by the Joint Commission found that poor communication in healthcare during patient transfers contributed to 80% of serious medical errors.

Additionally, patients who have established an open and secure dialogue with a nurse or healthcare provider are more likely to disclose the true extent of their symptoms. According to the book Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication for Nurses by Arnold and Boggs, healthcare communication competency offers a primary means for establishing a trusting, collaborative relationship with patients and families. Interpersonal communication skills influence the quality of decisions made, as well as the level of patient motivation to follow treatment protocols and achieve desired clinical outcomes.

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10 Effective Communication Skills for Nurses

For nurses, good communication in healthcare means approaching every patient interaction with the intention to understand the patient’s concerns, experiences, and opinions. This includes using verbal and nonverbal communication skills, along with active listening and patient teach-back techniques. Below, we explore 10 communication skills that are important for nurses.

1. Verbal Communication

Excellent verbal communication is key. Aim to always speak with clarity, accuracy, and honesty. It’s also important to know your audience and speak appropriately according to the person’s age, culture, and level of health literacy. If you are feeling stressed out or frustrated, be aware of your tone of voice and don’t let these emotions leak into your patient interaction. You can:

Encourage patients to communicate by asking open questions like, “Can you tell me a bit more about that?”
Avoid condescending pet names like “honey” or “sweetie” and instead use the patient’s first name or name of choice.
Speak in clear, complete sentences and avoid technical jargon.

2. Nonverbal Communication

Using elements of nonverbal communication—such as facial expressions, eye contact, body language, gestures, posture, and tone of voice—is also essential in creating rapport. Simply smiling can go a long way. You can also:

Show interest in what the patient is saying by maintaining eye contact and nodding your head.
Smile, but don’t stare.
Sit down when you can, and lean forward to show you’re engaged.
Use nonthreatening body language that conveys openness.

3. Active Listening

“Active listening” means listening in order to understand the other person’s experience. The highest and most effective form of listening requires complete attention and engagement. This skill is important not only for clinical nurses but also for nurse executives and other healthcare providers as a tool for building trust and commitment with their staff. Active listening includes both verbal and nonverbal communication skills. For example:

Nod your head, but never interrupt.
Lean forward and maintain eye contact to let the person know you’re engaged.
Include minimal verbal encouragement, such as “I understand,” and “go on.”

4. Written Communication

Written communication skills are also essential for effective nurse-to-nurse communication. As a nurse, you will be responsible for creating and updating the patient’s medical record. It is critical that the medical record is accurate and current so your patients can receive the best care possible. Also, remember to protect patient confidentiality. Some tips:

Make notes immediately following patient care so you do not forget anything.
Write legibly and clearly, using simple language.
Be sure to note accurate dates and times.

5. Presentation Skills

Effective presentation skills are most applicable during “handover”—when you are transferring patient care to another nurse or other healthcare providers. These skills will also help you demonstrate your knowledge and expertise clearly in a variety of workplace settings, such as presenting at conferences, participating in job interviews, giving case reports to physicians, and more. It’s a good idea to:

Plan out your presentation and practice.
Pay attention to both your verbal communication and body language.
Add visuals to your presentation for a better explanation.
Understand your audience and know what they want and need from the presentation.

6. Patient Education (Patient Teach-Back)

Nurses are in charge of most of the communication between the healthcare team and patients. This includes informing patients and family members of health conditions, diagnoses, treatment plans, and medication protocols. This skill is especially important for family nurse practitioners who work with patients and families to provide health and education counseling.

Patient teach-back is an effective communication strategy where providers ask patients to repeat the information back to them. This method improves patient understanding and encourages adherence to care instructions. Poor understanding of information can cause patients and their family members to feel anxious or become defensive. For example, you can say:

“We’ve gone over a lot of information. Now I’d like you to repeat it back to me to make sure you remember everything.”
“Can you repeat the instructions for taking this medicine back to me?”
“Let’s review what we just discussed. Can you explain it to me in your own words?”

7. Making Personal Connections

It’s important to get to know the person behind the patient. Patient-centered relationships are critical in helping patients feel safe and comfortable. Creating meaningful connections with patients can improve outcomes and trust. Some ideas:

Spend a couple of extra minutes every day with each patient getting to know them.
Find out a fun fact about each patient.
Show interest in their lives and share stories of your own.

8. Trust

It’s important for healthcare professionals to inspire trust in patients by listening actively and taking every complaint and concern seriously. Building trust takes time. Healthcare settings are scary for some patients. It’s important to make them feel as comfortable as possible.

Trust is something that nurse educators and leaders should also cultivate as they work to develop the next generation of nurses. To inspire trust, nurse leaders and educators should:

Always tell the truth.
Share information openly.
Be willing to admit mistakes.

9. Cultural Awareness

You will likely work with people every day who come from a wide range of social, cultural, and educational backgrounds. Every patient and coworker is unique, and it’s important to be aware and sensitive. For example, gauge the patient’s fluency with English and grade your vocabulary accordingly or bring in a translator if necessary and possible. With trans and gender nonbinary patients, be sure to use their preferred name and pronoun.

10. Compassion

Conveying compassion is an essential communication skill in healthcare. According to the Journal of Compassionate Healthcare, “studies show that compassion can assist in prompting fast recovery from acute illness, enhancing the management of chronic illness, and relieving anxiety.” You can deliver compassionate nursing care by putting yourself in the patient’s shoes and understanding their needs and expectations.

How to Overcome Communication Barriers in Nursing

Sometimes the message sent is not always received the way it was desired. Communication barriers in nursing result in weak patient-nurse interactions and relationships. To overcome these, we must first understand the types of communication barriers that nurses face. In the article “Communication and Language Needs,” Dawn Weaver identifies three common communication barriers in nursing: physical, social, and psychological.

Physical Barriers

The environment in which you communicate with a patient can make a huge difference in effective communication. Busy, loud, and distracting settings can increase patient stress. To create a safe and comfortable environment, try closing doors, opening blinds, and mitigating outside noises whenever you can.

Social barriers include differences in language, religion, culture, age, and customs. Understanding each patient’s cultural background can help nurses avoid prejudice and communicate clearly. It’s a good idea to tailor your communication strategies depending on the patient’s age, as well:
A 12-year-old and a 70-year-old will have very different ideas of what health and healthcare mean to them.

Psychological Barriers

For many patients, a trip to the doctor is anxiety-inducing. Anxiety and stress are psychological barriers, as are dementia and other cognitive conditions. To help reduce their influence, it helps to take extra time to listen, empathize, and be supportive. Such psychosocial care has been proven to improve patient health outcomes and quality of life.

Nurses may also need to overcome their own psychological barriers. Speaking to patients and family members about death, disease, and other sensitive topics can be distressing. A study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing explored the fact that many nurses experience feelings of anxiety when discussing patient medical needs and conditions.

Get Started Developing Crucial Communication Skills Today

Learning these and other communication skills should be part of your education, whether you’re enrolled in undergraduate nursing school or a graduate nursing program. They are also easy to practice on the job, as you will get plenty of opportunities for communicating with patients and your colleagues. Put your favorite idea into practice today!

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) offers Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and Post-Graduate Nursing Certificates designed for working nurses. Our degrees are offered online, with optional on-campus immersions* and an annual interprofessional trip abroad. Role specialties include Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Nurse Educator (MSN only), and Nurse Executive. The MSN has several options to accelerate your time to degree completion. Complete coursework when and where you want—and earn your advanced nursing degree while keeping your work and life in balance.

*The FNP track includes two required hands-on clinical intensives as part of the curriculum.

Sources

The Joint Commission. “Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare Releases Targeted Solutions Tool for Hand-Off Communications.” Joint Commission Perspectives 32, no. 8 (August 2012): 1, 3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22928243/. Accessed: January 26, 2022

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. “Use the Teach-Back Method: Tool #5.” Last reviewed September 2020. https://www.ahrq.gov/health-literacy/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/healthlittoolkit2-tool5.html. Accessed: January 26, 2022

Chen, Cassandra Siyun, Sally Wai-Chi Chan, Moon Fai Chan, Suk Foon Yap, Wenru Wang, and Yanika Kowitlawakul. “Nurses’ Perceptions of Psychosocial Care and Barriers to Its Provision: A Qualitative Study.” The Journal of Nursing Research 25, no. 6 (2017): 411–418. doi:10.1097/JNR.0000000000000185.

Which is an example of a good communication technique when communicating with a patient who is deaf?

Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but naturally, without shouting or exaggerating mouth movements. Shouting distorts the sound of speech and may make speech reading more difficult. Say the person's name before beginning a conversation.

What is the best method to interacting with elderly patients?

Communication tips for physicians.

Allow extra time for older patients. ... .

Avoid distractions. ... .

Sit face to face. ... .

Maintain eye contact. ... .

Listen. ... .

Speak slowly, clearly and loudly. ... .

Use short, simple words and sentences. ... .

Stick to one topic at a time..

What are examples of effective communication with elderly or disabled?

be polite and patient—do not rush the conversation. speak directly to the person rather than the person with them. ask the person what will help with communication—there are different ways to communicate. don't pretend to understand—let the person know you are having difficulty; try asking yes or no questions.

How do we communicate with the elderly?

Be positive in your approach to communication. Greet the older person you are caring for by name, address and speak to them; do not ignore or talk over them. Include the older person in their care to the extent they are able and want to be involved. Allow time for the older person to express their needs.