What They Hear

We touched on a subject in class this week that has been on my mind for a while. I think most of us would be able to easily recognize abusive or negative communication of staff towards patients but there is another more prevalent and deceptively benign type of communication that takes place in facilities. Examples of this type of communication would be staff members carrying on conversations amongst themselves during tx sessions instead of interacting with the patients themselves. Another example would be staff members talking about the patient's status or performance when the pt. is sitting right there, especially if it is not positive. I recently heard one clinician telling another that something a patient with dimentia did while performing a certain task was "bizarre". The pt. was sitting right there between the 2 clinicians. In the movies, doctors always tell family members to talk to coma patients as though they can understand every word you're saying because it is unknown how much they really do hear and understand. If that is true for a coma patient, obviously it is for the geriatric patient. One of the articles I read on this topic stated: "Negative examples were given, such as talking over residents' heads and performing care of residents in a routine-like manner. " Another article said: "it is not just negative forms of communication that leave people feeling distressed; 'neutral' styles of communication can also have this effect. A neutral style of communication is defined as staff focusing on a task that needs to be completed, and lacking empathy and warmth." I believe we should view every interaction we have with a patient as an opportunity to lift their spirits. It could make all the difference in their recovery, their quality of life and our sense of purpose and personal fulfillment as therapists.
These are the 2 articles I read that support my views:
http://www.orebrolan.se/download/18.3bd692b4121b0cc24e2800013029/Encounter+staff+descriptionopn+Wadensten+mfl.pdf
http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice-clinical-research/improving-communication-skills-in-care-of-those-with-dementia/1493021.article