During A Placement In The Local Area There Was Many Challenges

Establishing effective communication with the patient is a critical factor in promoting patient quality care. Good communication is fundamental when providing safe and effective care at the beside in order to increase the quality of patient care. One of the many communicative barriers that exists between patients and the healthcare team are language barriers. Language barriers are considered an initial problem of translation or code-switching. Individuals who speak different languages require a certain code breaker in order to facilitate effective communication (Gregg & Saha, 2007). Furthermore, language barriers may hinder the quality of patient care and interfere with optimal clinical outcomes. According to Happ et al., 2011, nurses have the unique responsibility to engage in communication with patients and have control over the timing and method of communication. Evidenced based interventions such as communication boards are needed to improve nurses’ communication skills in order to achieve effective communication.

Spanish is the second language in the world. With this being said, nurses that work in hospitals in all parts of the country will come in contact with patients whose primary language is Spanish. I believe it is very important to always respect the patient even when we cannot understand them. making eye contact, speaking slowly and clearly, using simple words are all ways to show our patients of a different language respect. The best way for nurses to improve communication with Spanish patients is to know and learn the language. Hospitals should offer free Spanish classes to employees or be able to take s Spanish class at a local community college. Nurses could also recommend our patients to Spanish speaking physicians.

Not all patients are capable of independently identifying and articulate their care needs, so the nurse also adapts the role as an advocate. Clarity and continuity in a trusting environment enables good communication. Progressive identification of needs takes place as nurse and patient communicate with one another in the interpersonal relationship (Peplau 1988, p. 84). Being considerate to the needs and vulnerability of patients is a moral attribute, as nurses are accountable for the care they deliver.

For this reason the nurse must change her health teaching style to that of which the patient can understand in order to provide the effective health teaching. Conaty-Buck (2009) states in order to do this we need to take a multifactorial approach to care by using different means of communication, not only to teach the patient, but to verify understanding. Pashley (2012) suggests several methods for the nurse to incorporate when providing health teaching to an ESL patient. Some of these suggestions include, making eye contact with the patient when using an interpreter, using normal language, but not technical medical terminology, check with the interpreter for understanding and provide clarification on any topics that are not readily understood (Pashley, 2012) .If as nurses we can do this effectively and the new parents/patients have sufficient health teaching as a result it would decrease health risks for the patient as well as decrease demands the health care system by decreasing the number of preventable return visits by these patients (Conaty-buck, 2009).

Can you imagine the how the healthcare industry would be without language, what seems to be impossible to imagine is the everyday reality of some patients because of their native language. Language is a major contribution to the health disparities that some populations face, because it makes it difficult for some patients to communicate their problems as well as understand the care they provided. Language contributes to the health disparities that some populations face because it creates a barrier between the patient and the care provider, making it difficult for a patient to receive proper care. Language barriers create a communication gap between a patient and a provider, forcing the patient to feel misunderstood and unable to trust his/her provider to properly care for them. I come from a family that speaks more than one language, so I have seen the impact language barriers can have on someone who doesn’t speak fluent English.

For example; If a patient does not speak the language of which country they are in, interpreters or translators may be needed in order to help communicate with people from the local area. These are important to keep the person informed about what is happening and what is going to happen. Supporting individuals to express their needs and

(Jayne Crow 2010) stated that just the way you laugh can influence the way a patient reacts with you. For example laughing at someone compared with someone can help “to equalize the power relationship in a situation and empower the service user.” Laughing can help to lighten a situation and can be a way of bonding with a patient. The patient feels as though they can trust the nurse and are more likely to open up about their feelings or if anything is wrong. Communication comes in many forms. (Barbara Scammel 1990) has outlined many different types of communication such as direct and indirect verbal communication, writing, body language, kinesics, touch, gestures. A patient may be in a coma but that doesn’t mean they cannot hear you. The power of the voice can do many things, ie, to comfort them, to know that someone is with them and that there not alone. A patient’s life can be in danger with the inability of a doctor and patient to communicate with each other. (Saha, S and Fernandez, A 2007) stated that the efficiency and provision on basic health care services are interfered with language barriers and being unable to understand. As a nurse it is vital to make sure all the information is necessary to give out the best patient centred care. This cannot be done if there is no communication line with the patient. (Saha, S and Fernandez, A 2007) translating one word in other languages may be

Lor et al. (2016) examined the growing problem of language barriers for patients in the United States and around the world. The use of interpreters is often the solution to bridge the gap between languages. The purpose of this study was to examine patient perception of interpreter services.The population for this study included 10 English proficient Hmong patients and 10 Spanish speaking patients. The participants ranged from age 33 to 75 years old. The intervention was that poor quality interpretation could lead to poor relationships among patients, interpreters and providers. In addition poor interpretation could end up in the patient being unable to follow through with treatment plans. Lastly, poor quality interpretation can lead to emotional distress for patients. Comparison was that patients have expectations on how the

Some practical obstacles that hinder the delivery of proficient and economical services include differences in language, cultural and knowledge of health issues. However, the prudent advanced practice nurse (APN) considers these obstacles to communication when providing patient-centered care. Nevertheless, when language barriers are not addressed, the provision of quality care to patient and families are undermined, which then transcends to both economic and ethical dilemmas. According to the centers for disease control and prevention (CDC, 2016), the gateway to healthcare is often hindered to a great extent by the lack of the ability to communicate medical necessities due to language barrier. In any clinical setting, efficient patient communication is essential in the delivery and accessibility of quality care and safety.

Jacobs, E. A., Shepard, D. S., Suaya, J. A., Stone, E. (2004). Overcoming language barriers in health care: costs and benefits of interpreter services. American Journal of Public Health, 94 (5), 866-869.

This assignment will explore an encounter between a student nurse, a qualify nurse, a doctor, a physiotherapist as well as other multi-disciplinary team. The main purpose of this case study is to critically analyse and discuss the ethical, legal and professional implications that may arise when dealing with patients and patient’s family. The essay will especially focus on ethical principles, statue law, duty of care and professional values under the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008) as well as the Code of Conduct and the importance of multi-disciplinary team (MDT) working in health and social care settings. In the United Kingdom all nurses and Midwives are governed by a professional body called Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). In order to protect the patient confidentiality, in accordance to (NMC, 2008) the patient alone will be given the pseudonym “Eve” throughout the case scenario.

When a family member is interfering with a crisis the nurse can ask them politely to leave and try not to escalate the situation. If the family member does not listen then security will have to be called and the family member will have to be removed.

To communicate seems easy enough to most of us. We have been doing this from the moment we were born. We expressed ourselves with grunts, moans, crying, smiling and yelling. We started communicating even before we made words with our nonverbal forms of communication. Communication is important. It allows individuals to share information and messages in the form of ideas and feelings (Giger, 2013). It gives us direction and allows us to interact with others. Can you image getting the entertainment system in parts in the mail with no instructions as to how to put it together? It is essential that we all communicate effectivity in order to ensure the best quality of care. Language barriers threaten the patient safety and overall quality of care of these individuals. By having efficient practices in place it will lower those risks and increase quality care.

It is important to approach the patient in the appropriate manner to prevent jeopardizing the nurse-patient relationship. The first step a nurse should take is to eliminate any communication barriers. Most Arabs can speak fluent English, but it may be necessary in some cases to facilitate an Arabic interpreter. The nurse should then document the interpreter as an intervention in the patient’s chart (Khalifa, 2012). In the case of the patient not speaking fluent English, the nurse should be aware of nonverbal cues and implement strategies to successfully

Nurses must assess a patient’s communication needs with respect to their age, gender, culture, developmental status and be able to modify their care related to these needs. This also is a consideration when communicating with those around us daily.