Communication with Patients

Bipley · Jan 10, 2006

Ok, please don't laugh. I am a home health aide and I will have a patient that 1) is a child and 2) has a disease that I am not familiar with. So my question not only pertains to this but all my future cases...
I am nervous about my communication. If you have someone that cannot speak, understand you or something along those lines-how do you talk to them? You do talk to them, right? I would think that is very important no matter the condition of the patient?
I have been researching all the diseases/diagnosis that my patients have just to understand their side of the spectrum...but I am a nervous wreck over what to say!
I know this is going to take practice. Am I normal for having these fears? Any advice?
Thank you so much!

Don't be nervous, just talk to them like you would any other patient of similar age. Assume they understand, far better than assuming they don't when they actually do.

You are very wise to research the dx, excellent! You sound like a great medical professional!

Angels' · Jan 10, 2006

following faith:

I’m so happy to read your post. You are very special and caring person to talk with those you care for, and to do research for the care of your patients. Truly good :) :)

I just love to hear and see that you care this much. This is one of the special reasons I enjoy caring for people, and listening to others doing their cares :) :)

A returning student,

Angels’

"Footsteps In The Sand"

NaomieRN · Jan 10, 2006

That is wonderful to look for information about your patient.

ER-RN2 · Jan 10, 2006

While I don't work in home health, I'll give you a situation that happened to me. (I work in the ER) I had a patient that was brought in my his fmaily for confusion that I just kept talking to. He never really said much back to me. Finally the patient's family said to me "Honey I don't really think he understands what you are saying." I told them I didn't mind that I just wanted to talk to him so he didn't think I was talking "over" or about him. They responded to me about how kind that was, etc, etc. They even said that a lot of times people would ignored him when he was in the hospital because he couldn't talk back to them. I think it is very very important to talk to patients no matter if they can understand or respond back.

Home health is hard and I know it takes a very special person to do that type of care-sounds like you are on the right track with your new patient!! :nurse:

following_faith · Jan 11, 2006

Thank you so much for your replies and encouragement!

I will talk to them the same way I would talk to any other person. I guess, never have done this before, it will take practice for me to get over the fear. This will be my first time actually taking care of people outside of clinical! At least in clinical I have the teacher with me and with this I am all alone.

Thanks again-your kindness means the world to me!

grinnurse, RN · Jan 11, 2006

I can understand that you might be nervous b/c of the unknown, but, just be yourself with your patients. I always talk to my patients whether they respond back to me or not. It's just not in me to not speak to them like they have all their senses even if I find out otherwise. I think its wonderful that you do care enough to learn about the shoes they have been walking in!!

Good Luck with the Home Health setting.