How important are communication skills in the performance of this person’s job in hospice/palliative care?
The nurses learn effective communication skills specifically in enhancing the practice principals in hospice/palliative care while collaborating with patients, communities, administrators, students and obviously peers. It should be mentioned that the function of a nurse it is desirable for the individual to fit into place in a sophisticated practice role and there are various objectives of this function is to enhance the compassionate practice of nursing and exhales the element of care and service that is so essential for a nurse.
How do nurses learn these effective communication skills?
Generally speaking the communication skills of a Nursing professional is to prepare that would prove to be substantially helpful once an individual faces the profession world and acquire the role of a leader under the perspective of the profession of nursing. This is why several subjects, that would otherwise appear contrasting, are included under learning program. These include subjects like education, administration and obviously the role of a nurse practitioner that deals with family nurse practitioners and acute health care. Communication skill is one of the most important aspects of this learning.
It could be easily ascertained that the Nursing Program and its objective is to make a perfect leader and nurse at the same time of a student. Another predominant objective of this program is to make a communicator out of a student who would take up the role of a nurse as the individual serves the community and the organization as a communicator within the perspective of every field. (Lamb, 2004).
What should the nurses’ approach be to communicate with the dying or her/his family?
It was needed to gather personal details for an intricate future diagnosis and treatment. For this, it was important to communicate with the patient in a warm and personal manner by introducing oneself, ensuring patient’s privacy, sitting at eye level when speaking with patient to comfort him as the patient was already in a situation of utter discomfort due to his ailment. For this, it is important to use both verbal and nonverbal communications skills. Within this approach it is also important to explain the purpose of this communicate in a heartily manner to sooth the patient telling him it is necessary to provide complete and accurate assistance as it would only help the doctors and nurses to diagnose perfectly. Then it would be possible to treat properly and thus this would help the patient to recover in a better and faster manner or comfort a dying patient. (Deb, 2006).
Who makes up the membership of the interdisciplinary team in the hospice care setting?
The administrators formulate the interdisciplinary team in the hospice care setting based on trainings. Qualified physiotherapists, psychiatrists, yoga trainers etc should be appointed to endow with spiritual heal along with physical and mental fitness to the elders. Nutritionists and center supervisors can also be appointed to administer the workings in the center, to provide proper healthy food and maintain hygiene of the center.
ILCs recruit staffs having knowledge on public reimbursements such as Medicaid, disability insurance, etc. Additionally, some ILCs also offer support groups, workshops, or instruction. Hospice services provide palliative care for persons with terminal sickness in the last stages of life and their families. Hospice coalesce medical, emotional, social and spiritual support to ease the dying person and his family and maintain dignity at the end-of-life. Services are dispensed through the involvement of physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists and volunteers. (Dos, 2006).
What is the importance communication within the team?
A hospice team associate is on-call 24-hours to provide advice or assistance with an emergency. Hospice clients obtain services in accordance with an individualized plan of service. A social worker is usually charged with supporting the patient and family and in helping the care team in working efficiently with the family. Respite care is formed to alleviate caregivers of their everyday jobs. Some Adult Day Health Centers even organize transportation facilities. Home health agencies can also enter the field to provide assistance by introducing a homemaker or home health assistant. Moreover, home health organization can arrange for round the clock care and over night care. Thus, to maintain these complex features communication is extremely important. (King, 2006).
What would is the most important take home message about communication?
From the perspective of a nurse, it is extremely important to incur the right principals taught in the training, particularly in the context of communication. For example, nurse should concentrate on the four different components of professional practice: 1) Communicating Planning and Preparation; 2) Communicating in hospice Environment; 3) Communicating Instruction; and 4) Maintaining Professional Responsibilities through proper communication. Additionally, a nurse should always remember to follow the theories of implementation. These included:
- demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness in communication;
- reflecting on teaching on communication;
- maintaining accurate communication means;
- communicating with families;
- growing and developing professionally through communication;
- showing professionalism through communication.
Thus, a proper execution of all these issues should be achieved and it should be remembered that the application of theory into practice becomes vital. (Dollard, 2006).
What non-verbal communication methods are used and are most effective in the hospice care setting?
It could be stated that in this discussion most of the emphasis is centered on this aspect. So non-verbal communication in work environments like hospice care setting, it plays a definite part. Emphasizing on a particular subject and giving wrong gestures can give a different meaning to the words spoken. For instance, issuing instruction during a hospice care setting and keeping a steady eye contact gives importance to the instruction issued. And at the receiving end, a studied gesture like, nodding of head single time give the impression that the topic of the order is well understood and received.
However, there would be other side of the issue. Besides the gestures, slide shows, projector also enhances the meaning within. If a dispute arises during hospice care setting, different body gestures, voice modulation, scratching of head, indifferent mannerisms, can give an impression of showing discontent on the discussion. Often in meetings an attendee can be going on and on, on certain points or perhaps other related topics need to be discussed, to regulate the flow of conversation rather than stopping or interrupting, simple body gesture by extending hand to other attendees can be less offending and in the process inviting other attendees to continue with the hospice care. (Kar, 2006)
These small things indicate that the conversation between the two parties is not heading towards the right direction, which creates a negative impact to the attendee. Therefore, it is evident, that not only verbal but also non-verbal communication also plays a huge part in giving meaning and direction to a hospice care setting. However, the best means is the use of comforting voice and concerned behavior. (Fletcher, 2005)
References
Deb, S; (2002); Evaluation Techniques of Nursing profession; ABP Ltd.
Dos, M; (2006); Future of Thought Process: Health Care; Alliance Publications.
Dollard, John & Doob, Leonard W; (2006) Frustration and Aggression in Nursing; New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
Fletcher, R; (2005); Leadership Principals in Healthcare: Beliefs and Knowledge; Believing and Knowing; Howard & Price.
Kar, P; (2006); History of Human Resource and Related Application of Nursing; Dasgupta & Chatterjee.
King, H; (2006); Management principals: Nursing Leadership Today; HBT & Brooks Ltd.
Lamb, Davis; (2004); Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; National Book Trust.