Unit 2 Communication

Unit 2
Communication And
Interpersonal Skills
Nurse Aide I Course
DHSR Approved Curriculum-Unit 2 1

Communication And
Introduction
Nurse aides communicate with
residents, families, visitors and
co-workers.

Communication And
Introduction
(continued)
Nurse aides must frequently send and
receive information about the care and
observation of residents, report thoughts
and feelings as clearly and objectively
as possible and interact effectively with
others.
Communication And
Introduction
(continued)
Nurse aides need to be aware of

nonverbal communications and need to
develop skills in communicating with the
sensory impaired.

Communication And
Introduction
(continued)
In addition, nurse aides may document
on the medical record, which is a legal
document. Therefore, all documentation
must be in legible, clear and accurate
language so that there is no
misunderstanding of the meaning.
2.0 Demonstrate appropriate and
effective communication skills.

Elements That Influence
Relationships With Others
• Prejudices
• Frustrations
• Attitudes
• Life Experiences

Requirements For Successful
Communications
• A message
• A sender
• A receiver

2.1 Describe the importance of
developing good listening skills.
2.1.1 Identify nine listening skills that
can be used by the nurse aide.

Listening Skills
• Show interest
• Hear message
• Do not interrupt
• Ask appropriate questions for
clarification

Listening Skills
(continued)
• Be patient and help

resident express feelings
and concerns
• Eliminate or reduce
distractions
• Understand silence can
be form of communication
2.1.2 Recognize barriers to effective
communication.

Barriers to Effective Communication
• Labeling
• Talking too fast
• Avoiding eye contact
• Belittling a resident’s feelings
• Physical distance

(continued)
• Mental or sensory impairment on

the part of the resident such as:
– Confusion
– Blindness
– Aphasia
– Hearing impairment

(continued)
• Changing the subject
• False reassurance
• Giving advice
• Ineffective communication
– Disguised messages
– Conflicting messages
– Unclear meanings
– Clichés
2.2 Explain how the nurse aide will
need to modify his or her
behavior in response to the
resident’s behavior.
2.2.1 Define the terms sympathy,
empathy and tact.
• Determined by
– Standards and values
– Culture and environment
– Heredity
– Interests

(continued)
• Determined by
– Feelings and stress
– Expectations others
have for us
– Past experiences

Dealing With Resident Behavior
• Accept every resident

• Listen to every resident
• Comply with
reasonable requests,
when possible

(continued)
• Display patience
and tolerance
• Make an effort to
be understanding

(continued)
• Develop acceptable ways of coping
with our own negative feelings
– Leave the room after providing for
safety
– Talk with supervisor, in private,
about negative feelings

(continued)
• Develop acceptable ways of coping
with our own negative feelings
– Involve yourself in physical
activity
– Learn to use relaxation
techniques that ease stress

(continued)
• Be sensitive to residents’ moods

• Be able to handle disagreements
and criticism

Treat Residents As Unique
Individuals
• Do things the
residents’ way, when
possible
• Anticipate their needs
• Give good care
• Ask for their opinions
Treat Residents As Unique
Individuals
(continued)
• Be able to see things

from the other person’s
point of view

2.3 Develop effective nonverbal and
verbal communications skills.
2.3.1 List six examples of nonverbal
communication and six examples
of effective verbal
communication.
Nonverbal Communication
• Body language
– Posture
– Gestures
– Level of activity
– Facial expressions
– Appearance
– Touch
Verbal Communication
• Speak clearly and

concisely
• Give message by tone of
voice
• Face resident, at eye
level, when speaking

Verbal Communication
(continued)
• Avoid words having

several meanings
• Present thoughts in
a logical, orderly
manner
• Learn to paraphrase

2.3.2 Identify proper telephone
communication skills.

Telephone Communication Skills
• Speak clearly in a pleasant tone of

voice
• Identify the area, yourself and your
position
• Ask, “May I help you?”
• Be courteous

(continued)
• Take messages:
– name of individual calling
– phone number (including area
code)
– read back message for
accuracy
– date and time of call
(continued)
• Take messages (continued):
– ask for assistance if you are unable
to handle message
– permit caller to hang up first
– follow proper etiquette

2.3.3 Identify actions that would
facilitate communication with
residents’ family and visitors

Actions to Facilitate Communication
with the Resident’s Family
and Visitors
• Ask how they are doing
• Indicate that you are
glad to see them
• Tell them about
activities the resident
has been involved with
that day
and Visitors
(continued)
• Be warm and friendly

• Use talking and
listening skills you
would use with
resident

and Visitors
(continued)
• Share knowledge about the unit
– Visiting hours
– Restrictions to visitors
– Any restrictions on
bringing food
– Activities that include
family
and Visitors
(continued)
• Report stressful or tiring visits to
supervisor
• Refer requests for information on the
resident’s condition to supervisor

and Visitors
(continued)
• Share information from family/visitors
that would affect resident care with
supervisor
• Report visitor concerns or complaints
to supervisor

hearing impaired residents.

with Hearing Impaired Residents
• Encourage to use hearing aid
• Speak slowly using simple
sentences
• Face resident at eye level when
speaking
• Encourage resident to read lips, if
that helps
with Hearing Impaired Residents
(continued)
• Lower pitch of voice
• Direct speech to stronger ear but do
not shout
• Use gestures when possible to clarify
statements
• Write when necessary
• Learn basic signing, if appropriate
residents that have decreased
vision.

with Residents Who Have
Decreased Vision
• Sit where resident can best see you

• Make sure lighting is sufficient
• Encourage resident to touch
objects and yourself
• Encourage resident to wear his/her
glasses
Decreased Vision
(continued)
• Use touch and talk frequently to
communicate your location
• Use descriptive words and phrases

residents that have difficulty
speaking.

Difficulty Speaking
• Encourage to use hands to

point out objects
• Use communication
boards/card
• Repeat what you heard to be
sure you understood resident
Difficulty Speaking
(continued)
• Encourage resident to cry or
express anger/frustration
when he/she has trouble
• Ask yes and no questions
• Let other staff members
know meaning of a sound or
movement
depressed residents.

with Depressed Residents
• Exercise patience
• Allow time for resident
to say things
• Sit quietly with resident
• Return repeatedly until
resident responds
residents with memory loss.

with Residents with Memory Loss
• Encourage to talk
• Talk about things resident
remembers
• Ask one question at a
time, containing one
thought

with Residents with Memory Loss
(continued)
• Keep questions simple

• Re-phrase questions not
understood
• Avoid asking resident to
make a choice

residents based on stage of
development.

Based on Stage of Development
• Treat all residents with

dignity and respect
• Encourage residents to
make choices when
appropriate
• Use simple sentences
• Emphasize positive
qualities
(continued)
• Never attempt to exert power over

residents
• Encourage residents to do all they
can for themselves
• Be patient

(continued)
• Take time to explain what residents
are to do or what you are going to do
for them
• Use age appropriate speech
• Encourage residents to express
feelings, ideas and frustrations

(continued)
• Gain resident’s attention and speak
clearly, in a normal tone of voice
• Orient residents to reality when
appropriate

(continued)
• Never assume that you aren’t heard
or understood
• Never address residents as if they
are children.

2.4 Observe by using the senses to
report resident behavior to the
nurse.

Methods of Observation
Examples using sight:

• Rash
• Skin color
• Bruising

(continued)
Examples using hearing:

• Wheezing
• Moans
• Words spoken by resident

(continued)
Examples using touch:

• Lump
• Temperature of skin
• Change in pulse

(continued)
Examples using smell:

• Odor of breath
• Odor of urine
• Odor of body

Reporting
• Reports are made:

– immediately
– thoroughly
– accurately
• Use notepad and pencil to write down
information for reporting

2.4.1 Discuss differences between
objective and subjective data.

Reporting
(continued)
• Report only facts, not opinions

– objective data - that observed using
senses
– subjective data - that told to nurse
aide by the resident

Reporting
(continued)
Observe resident’s
environment and
report safety
hazards

Reporting
(continued)
• When reporting, consider:
– care or treatment given
– time of treatment
– resident’s response to care

Reporting
(continued)
• When reporting, consider:

– observations helpful to other health
care workers
– information resident has given that
would affect his or her treatment
– anything unusual about resident

2.5 Identify the ways in which the
nurse aide communicates with
other staff members.

Forms of Communicating
• Reporting or
communicating orally
• Body language
• Written communications
Written Communications:
Resident Care Plans
• Resident care plans prepared by

nurse
• One for each resident
• Kept at nurses’ station

Resident Care Plans
(continued)
• Working record to provide

consistent, well-planned care
on a daily basis
• Changed and updated as
needed by licensed nurse

Resident Care Plans
(continued)
• Information included:
– Resident’s level of
independence in ADL
– Treatments
– Statement of problems

Resident Care Plans
(continued)
• Information included (continued):
– Short-term and long-term goals
– Plan to attain goals
– Date plan initiated and
reevaluated

Resident Care Plans
(continued)
• Nurse aides contribute by:

– Helping to identify
problems
– Attending care
conferences

Resident Care Plans
(continued)
• Nurse aides contribute by (continued):
– Directing questions about plan to
supervisor
– Reporting resident response to
treatment and activities

2.5.1 Recognize the importance of
maintaining the resident’s medical
record.

Resident‘s Medical Record
• Includes information
from all disciplines
providing direct service
to residents

Resident’s Medical Record
(continued)
• A record of:
– assessments, implementations,
evaluations
– management plans
– progress notes
• Permanent legal record
(continued)
• Purpose
– Organizes all information on care in
one document
– Accountability so care can be
evaluated
– Documentation so there is
knowledge of what each discipline is
doing
(continued)
• Confidential information
available only to health
care workers involved in
care of resident

2.5.2 Review guidelines for charting in
the resident’s medical record.

Guidelines For Charting
If Allowed By Facility
• Make sure entries are

accurate and easy to read
• Always use ink
• Print, unless script is
accepted form
• Do not use the term
“resident”
(continued)
• Use short, concise

phrases
• Always chart after care
is performed
• Make sure writing
legible and neat

(continued)
• Use only abbreviations accepted
by facility
• Make sure spelling, grammar
and punctuation are correct
• Do not record judgments or
interpretations

(continued)
• Record in a logical and

chronological manner
• Be descriptive
• Make sure all forms added
to the chart contain
identifying information

(continued)
• Avoid using words that have

more than one meaning
• Use resident’s exact words in
quotation marks whenever
possible
• Always indicate the time of care

(continued)
• Leave no lines blank

• Sign each entry with first
initial, last name and title
• Correct errors using
facility procedure

2.6 Document observations using
appropriate terms.

Medical Terminology
• Medicine has a language of its own

– Historical development
– Composed mainly of Greek and
Latin word parts
– Consistent and uniform

Medical Terminology
(continued)
• Three components
– Prefixes
– Root words
– Suffixes
• Medical dictionary
– Used for reference
– Spelling is important
2.7 Recognize abbreviations used in
documenting by the health care
facility.

Abbreviations
• Help health care workers

communicate quickly and effectively
• Are shortened forms of words
• Reduce time needed to chart
important information

Abbreviations
(continued)
• Conserve space on medical record

• Used primarily in written
communication

2.8 Demonstrate the ability to
document accurate information
following proper charting
practices.


Unit 2 Communication

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Unit 2

DHSR Approved Curriculum-Unit 2 1

DHSR Approved Curriculum-Unit 2 2

Nurse aides need to be aware of

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• Be patient and help

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• Mental or sensory impairment on

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• Accept every resident

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• Be sensitive to residents’ moods

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• Be able to see things

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• Speak clearly and

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• Avoid words having

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• Speak clearly in a pleasant tone of

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• Be warm and friendly

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• Sit where resident can best see you

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• Encourage to use hands to

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• Keep questions simple

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• Treat all residents with

• Never attempt to exert power over

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Examples using sight:

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Examples using hearing:

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Examples using touch: