Communication Essay
The Nurse’s Role in Relation to Communicating Effectively in Clinical Placement
Module Title – Fundamental Principles and Practice of Nursing
Introduction
In this essay I will be examining different forms and frameworks of communication and also potential barriers. To help me understand these I will be using an example of communication I participated in during clinical practice to highlight how effective communication is vital to building up a nurse/patient relationship and how the forms, frameworks and any barriers applied to this conversation. At the end of the essay I will draw conclusions that became apparent during and on reflection of the conversation. (In order to adhere to the NMC (2008) Code of Professional Conduct, I will be referring to the patient as Agnes this will keep the person’s identity confidential.) Clinical Practice Example
Agnes is an elderly lady who has end stage dementia. A colleague and myself were assisting Agnes to bed as she had asked to go, however as we got to her bed she began to say that she didn’t want to go to bed as she needed to get home to meet her son and became a little agitated at the fact that we were assisting her to remove her clothes. As Agnes was seated in a wheelchair I dropped to one knee and directed her attention to myself, I maintained good eye contact with her and held her hand as I explained calmly and slowly to her that her son knows where she is and that he would be coming to see her very soon and she should get some rest. I had to reassure her a few times that he would be coming soon and after a few minutes she had calmed and decided that she did now want to go to bed.
Communication
Blackwell’s dictionary of nursing (1994) (p158) defines communication as the process of exchanging thoughts or information in a reciprocal relationship; may be carried on verbally or nonverbally as, e.g. by writing, gestures, facial expressions or body behaviour.
“Communication is the basic element of human interactions that
Module Title – Fundamental Principles and Practice of Nursing
Introduction
In this essay I will be examining different forms and frameworks of communication and also potential barriers. To help me understand these I will be using an example of communication I participated in during clinical practice to highlight how effective communication is vital to building up a nurse/patient relationship and how the forms, frameworks and any barriers applied to this conversation. At the end of the essay I will draw conclusions that became apparent during and on reflection of the conversation. (In order to adhere to the NMC (2008) Code of Professional Conduct, I will be referring to the patient as Agnes this will keep the person’s identity confidential.) Clinical Practice Example
Agnes is an elderly lady who has end stage dementia. A colleague and myself were assisting Agnes to bed as she had asked to go, however as we got to her bed she began to say that she didn’t want to go to bed as she needed to get home to meet her son and became a little agitated at the fact that we were assisting her to remove her clothes. As Agnes was seated in a wheelchair I dropped to one knee and directed her attention to myself, I maintained good eye contact with her and held her hand as I explained calmly and slowly to her that her son knows where she is and that he would be coming to see her very soon and she should get some rest. I had to reassure her a few times that he would be coming soon and after a few minutes she had calmed and decided that she did now want to go to bed.
Communication
Blackwell’s dictionary of nursing (1994) (p158) defines communication as the process of exchanging thoughts or information in a reciprocal relationship; may be carried on verbally or nonverbally as, e.g. by writing, gestures, facial expressions or body behaviour.
“Communication is the basic element of human interactions that
References: Anderson C (1990) Patient Teaching and Communicating in Information Age. Albany N.Y: Delmar Publishers Inc. Arnold E, Boggs K (2011) Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses (6th Ed). St. Louis Missouri: Elsevier/Saunders. Blackwell’s Dictionary of Nursing (1994). Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. Glasper E, Mcewing G, Richardson J (2009) Foundation Studies for Caring: Using Student Centred Learning. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Hobson P (2008) Understanding Dementia: Developing Person-Centred Communication Available at http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=7c51ef5a-0a70-40f1-b9df-846aef6cc08b%40sessionmgr104&vid=5&hid=106 (Accessed 29/11/2011 NMC (2008) Code of Conduct S.B.A.R – Available at http://www.institute.nhs.uk/quality_and_service_improvement_tools/quality_and_service_improvement_tools/sbar_-_situation_-_background_-_assessment_-_recommendation.html (Accessed 28/11/2011) Webb L (2011) Nursing: Communication Skills in Practice Oxford: OUP