Patient-Nurse Communication Analysis

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2Communication is a key factor in the role of a nurse. Nurses must be able to effectively inform patients about their care as well as interpret verbal and non-verbal communication from their patients. What should the nurse do when effective communication is not possible because the patient’s reasoning has been impaired, personality changes often, or simply just cannot remember anything? These are the characteristics of a person with dementia which can cause the breakdown of communication in the patient-nurse relationship. There are ways to prevent drastic breakdowns as well as techniques to interact with those who are suffering from this disease. Prevention starts with understanding the patient’s insight on the situation. Dementia patients view the …show more content…
This begins to become frustrating for the patient and they tend to start having outburst or behavioral problems. It can also be frustrating for the nurse, but he/she must always remain respectful and remember that the patient is not a child although they may be displaying actions as such. This is where observation is essential in trying to prevent communication barriers. As stated in the article, mostbehavioral outburst, aggression, and withdrawal from the patients’ results from lack of communication skills and time constraints placed on nurses. The nurse must be aware of the patient’s behavior cues in order to provide comfort, affection, and show that they are actively listening to the patient. These things have been proven to increase communication with those who have dementia. According to the article, there are some techniques that are helpful when dealing with patients with dementia. A basic communication skill is to not use baby talk. Remember you are talking to an adult. The level of impairment should be evaluated so that effective communication can take place. Always remember to remain calm and pleasant. Use a tone that is calming and