Need Help With Patient Communication - Any Tips?

karynfrances · Mar 24, 2006

how can you talk to a person whilst trying to listen and take their blood pressure? some things just have to be done without a lot of talk. I'd rather have the person concentrate on the job they're doing than chatting to me and making sure they get the job done right.

Shaneomac · Mar 24, 2006

ok Thx I gues your right onnly reason I was worried is cos I see a lot of the real nurses talking while they do things like this.

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2006

Shaneomac. . .when you are first learning to do different things as a nurse, especially things you have never done before, it is only natural that you are going to focus your attention on doing them as best you can. For this reason you are not going to be paying much attention to what the patient might be saying or even think about what you might want to respond back to the patient. I promise you that as you become proficient in doing the various procedures, they will be effortless as you do them. Then, you can focus more on your conversational skills. It is sometimes best to say nothing at all rather than open your mouth and say something you might regret later. When I was in my university program we were required to take a class in personal communication skills. In it we learned how to respond to different kinds of behavior in people. We also learned assertiveness techniques. To learn how to talk to people (I'm assuming you mean you want to learn how to say what are considered socially correct, or even therapeutically correct, responses back) you want to look for books or articles that address these subjects: interpersonal communication techniques and skills, therapeutic communication techniques and skills, assertiveness training. I have to tell you that learning to make the correct response to someone whether they be a neighbor or an employee I am supervising has been a lifelong concern and search for the right words for me. The words just don't come that easy to all of us, as you are now discovering. I came from a home environment where everyone screamed at each other and I knew that was not going to be permitted at work. I had a lot of unlearning and learning to do over the years. However, let me give you hope. This is a skill that you can learn, but it will take some study, persistence and practice on your part. It will take years to feel like you've conquered it. However, this is what living our lives is about, isn't it? To work toward perfecting ourselves. So, hang in there. Keep up the good search. Keep working on your nursing procedures. You might want to check your school's list of classes to see if they teach some kind of communication skills. The people who study to be radio and TV interviewers take classes to learn how to speak and ask questions in the correct ways of people to get the best responses. It may come naturally to some people, but most are taught how to do it.

Shaneomac · Mar 24, 2006

Thanks Daytonite that was a great help, really opened my mind, I guess i am going to have to work on different kinds of communication, it is really hard to do when you have to remain professional at all times, its all very new to me, but I want to succeed at this so I am going to learn as much as I can about communication. Thanks again.

KatieBell · Mar 24, 2006

One of the best things you can do in lines of communication whilst you are learning, is to say to the patient, "Now, I'm going to be quiet for a moment, because I am really concentrating on hearing your BP, or whatever you ar doing...Most people like that you are concentrating....

As you get more skilled, you will find it easier to chat with people while doing certain tasks. I now talk to my patients about all sorts of things while I start IV's or put in Foleys, but with BP's I have to listen.

Shaneomac · Mar 29, 2006

Thanks Katie, i am actually using these tips while I am in pratice, Iam getting better!! thx A LOT for ur help!