Communication Essay -- Effective Communication, Barriers

This assignment discusses barriers to, and methods of, effective communication with people who be conf employ by reflecting on my experience in communicating with an gray conf employ patient. Specifically, and within the scope of this assignment, I reflect on two methods of effective communication with elderly unordered patients whizz verbal (reality orientation) and one non-verbal (touch). During my first placement I was asked to assist in the care of Elsie (pseudonym), an 86 year old lady admitted to hospital with a fracture to her hip and a urinary tract infection (UTI). Elsie was suffering from frequent biennial episodes of confusion however this was not due to a diagnosed cognitive disorder. Manos and von Braun (2006) and Keenan (2011a) say that elderly patients with a bone fracture or a UTI often present with confusion which is a disorder of brain endure (Manos and Braun, 2006). The elderly are more prone to confusion when they are consumptive because, with increasing age, kidney size and renal blood flow decrease causing a reduction in renal threshold (Keenan, 2011b). When Elsie was in a confused state I found it difficult to interpret what Elsie was exhausting to communicate to me because her responses to my questions did not make sense. When communicating with Elsie I consciously used the active listening SOLER (Sit square-on, Open posture, Lean forward, Eye contact, Relax) model (Egan, 2010) that I had been taught at University. I used this to show Elsie I was listening and to stand by me try to understand what Elsie was communicating. I felt frustrated because although I used SOLER, slowed down my normal pace of communication and repeated what I was saying, Elsies responses still did not make sense. The National Health Service (NHS, 2... ...aching on a patients personal space. I should therefore use a calm reassuring voice with the use of touch. I interpret it comforting to know that Oliver and Redfern (1991) say that the use of touch is a dexterity that can be acquired and learnt.Reflecting on my experience communicating with Elsie I pass water learnt intimately two communication techniques (reality orientation and the use of touch) that pass on tending me communicate more effectively with an elderly confused patient. I know realised I need to find out more about using expressive touch in communication and the use of another(prenominal) verbal and non-verbal techniques that can help in communicating with elderly confused patients, such as effective use of paralinguistic communication. This will give me great confidence in communicating with elderly confused patients because I will have additional strategies to bring to the situation.