Outcome 5: Use Basic Communication and Collaborative Skills to Optimize Patient Outcomes
Brenen Dapkiewicz
NU 311 Fundamentals of Nursing Practicum
Washburn University School of Nursing
Knowledge Q1: Describe how you utilized several communication skills you were introduced to in class. During my long-term care experience last Friday, I was exposed to many forms of communication. There was non-verbal communication, where you could just see that a patient was maybe anxious or content. I witnessed verbal communication between nurses, certified nurse's assistants, bath assistants, and even student nurses. However, the best example I can give about communication and how I utilized communication was during my first insulin injection. First, us students verified with the nurse as well as our clinical instructor on how the procedure was performed using verbal communication. Next, we used written
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As a leader within my fraternity, I've performed and practiced therapeutic communication without even being aware of it. This week I was able to active listen to patients, such as a patient who explained his glaucoma to us and how it was partially fixed, but a complication arose that needs to be assessed and stabilized. I also was able to sit down and talk with a patient before her bath to see what she wanted to wear. Asking open ended questions, active listening, being silent to give her time to respond, etc. enforced my therapeutic communication within the healthcare setting. A non-therapeutic bias I've come to realize is that instead of talking to the patient, I communicated to the nurse instead. I'm not sure if that was out of nervousness on my first day or if it's because the long-term patients tend not to respond at times. Whatever the case may be, I'm going into next week with this knowledge and knowing I want to correct this issue before it becomes an issue to myself and my