Ideas in communicating with deaf and mute patient

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Hello,

I chose a deaf/mute patient for this week's care. I'm a first semester nursing student.

I have in mind to bring in a small white board as well as notecards to communicate with this patient. I'm planning to memorize some simple sign languages as well.

Can you give me other ideas as well to communicate with this special patient? :)

I'm very excited to have chosen such an interesting patient.

Thank you!

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

We have a deaf family that frequents our facility and text messaging is the means we primarily use to communicate. Mind you - we don't SEND the texts- we just use their device to type out our communication, and hand them back their device to read, they type out their response. It eliminates the need for an interpreter- provided your client is literate. This is the method THEY chose, and it works well.

Originally, they had a device called a Sidekick for this purpose. It was an early texting device not associated with a phone. Really handy!

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If they know how to use a computer or a tablet, maybe you have them communicate with you that way. Or paper & pen.

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