Showing any signs of stress or impatience could cause them to shut down and close off from you. One of the most important considerations when communication with older adults is allowing them time. If you plan on asking a patient about their drug history or HIV status, for example, then finding a more private environment is essential. Emergency department cubicles, and beds in multi-bedded rooms are often only separated by a curtain. If you are going to be asking questions of a personal nature, environment is particularly important. Loud chaotic environments also increase the chances of you, a patient or colleague mishearing important information. Instead, it should be used to help alleviate a patient’s distress.
This is problematic given that the tone of your voice makes up roughly 40% of face-to-face communication (Mehrabian 1971).
Approaching a patient in a busy, high-stimulus area with lots of people can hinder your communication.īeing in a loud, chaotic emergency department may require you to raise your voice. Take a moment to consider your environment. Find some common ground between you and your patient.
You may not have a lot of time in a shift to begin a meaningful conversation with every single patient, but for many long-stay patients, having a familiar face and some common ground between the two of you can make all the difference to their length of stay. Think about broaching small, less emotionally charged topics at first, as a way of opening the door to more significant conversations. Self-disclosure is unfamiliar territory for some people, while others might not have the vocabulary to describe how they feel, may not see the relevance of mentioning it, may expect judgment, or might fear they are overwhelming the other person. Break the ice by talking about the small things.