Communication Summary
During my time on placement I have been faced with different communication issues that I have overcome with various effective communications methods. Some of these include communication with a stroke patient, someone who is suffering from dementia and someone who has hearing difficulties.
Stroke Patient
At first I felt slightly anxious as I had never cared for someone who had had a stroke before but after researching and learning all about the strokes I felt I was able to communicate better with the patient as I understood the illness. The patient liked to use hand gestures a lot as her speech was severely impaired. I familiarised myself with these signals helping me understand exactly what she said and used these to communicate back as well as speaking slowly and clearly, ensuring I gave the patient time to talk back without rushing her.
Dementia Patient
When speaking with the patient I noticed she was a little anxious so first of all I reassured her and ensured she felt comfortable by providing a safe and private environment. I spoke soft and clear and listening carefully to what she had to say while giving her encouragement but I found she was quite withdrawn. Body language is also very important when communicating with a dementia patient so I made sure I had an open posture, was relaxed and at eye level with her. My facial expressions mirrored hers showing that I understood how she felt which encouraged the patient to communicate. After spending time with the patient and she opened up I learned that she couldn’t remember where she was. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder and reassured her and explained everything, instantly she looked at ease.
Patient with hearing difficulties
I noticed this patient was quite an isolated patient and rarely joined in on the conversations with other patients so I decided to approach the patient. I knew from the medical notes the patient was slightly deaf so when communicating with