Nursing 104

N104: Essentials of Nursing Care – Health Safety Study Guide

The communication process:

Message/ Feedback

Medium

Medium

Sender/ Receiver

Receiver/ Sender

Medium

Medium

Feedback/ Message

The ideal communication process is cyclical and dynamic, with adjustments made by both the nurse and the patient or family/caregiver. Types of Communication Communication can be verbal or nonverbal or a combination of both. Verbal communication uses written or spoken words to send the message. When a message is spoken, the receiver must listen to the message in order to complete the cycle of communication. The nurse must understand that a patient or family may be influenced by an altered state of health, so understanding of the message must be validated. When a message is written, the receiver must read the message in order to complete the cycle of communication. One of the primary issues with written communication is that the nurse may not be able to validate understanding when the message is read. Discharge instructions are given in a written format, but the nurse must always use oral communication of the instructions to verify understanding. Non-verbal communication, or body language, is sending a message without the use of words. While non-verbal clues should be evaluated, the astute nurse will follow up on any non-verbal clue that is not consistent with the verbal communication. The nurse should also be aware of the way his own non-verbal communications may influence the process. Types of non-verbal communication include: • Posture may be an indication of the patient's feelings of self-esteem or an indicationof pain in some part of the body. An erect posture is typically indicative of a healthy individual with positive self-esteem.

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