Gibbs_Reflective_Assignment_on_Non-Verbal_Communication_with_a_Patient_with_Demenita

Introduction This assignment is a reflective account of my first experience when assisting a patient to eat lunch. For the purpose of this assignment I will refer to this patient as Mrs C to maintain confidentiality and comply with the NMC code (2008). It will discuss the importance of non-verbal communication when providing effective nursing care to the elderly. Description Thoughts and Feelings Evaluation I felt this first experience was very rewarding and a big learning curve for me in caring for others. I was delighted that I had been able to support Mrs C to eat nearly all of her meal which she clearly enjoyed. The ‘protected mealtime’ policy ensured that I had time to dedicate to assist her and as she did not have the ability to feed herself, without my help she would have eaten very little or nothing at all. In order to communicate with Mrs C, I modified the usual rules of communication. I did not speak to Mrs C in an inappropriate way or use elder talk which may have damaged her self esteem and confidence (Argle 1994). I talked to her as I would address any adult but put more emphasis on non-verbal communication which according to Caris Verhallen (1999) is the main way in which humans communicate, in order for her to receive my message, extract the meaning and give me feedback. By holding Mrs C’ gaze I was maintaining communication and encouraging engagement and interaction (Argyle 1996). By nodding her head, maintaining eye contact and opening her mouth Mrs C showed me that she understood that I wanted to assist her with her meal and gave me permission to feed her. In order to assist Mrs C with her lunch I had to invade her personal space, I used touch to communicate and help her relax, feel safe, reassure and offer warmth and togetherness in a setting which is not natural (Spouse et al 2008) As the receiver of my message Mrs C showed me that she had received by message, understood the meaning of it andgave me good feed back by opening her mouth for each spoonful and taking hold of my hand. When she was full she maintained eye contact with me, but kept her mouth closed and gripped my hand a little tighter (Arnold et al 1999). This experience for me was about developing my non-verbal communication skills which play a fundamental role in delivering effective holistic nursing care to the elderly patient. I demonstrated that I have the ability to deliver patient centre care and have the skills necessary for effective communication, active listening and am able to show empathy. Through this experience I am more aware of the skills I require to support patients who are in a vulnerable position. Action Plan As a result of this experience: I will endeavor to get to know my patients at the earliest opportunity and identify potential barriers to communication so that I am able to adapt and communicate effectively with them as individuals. I will research my personal style of communication to further improve my delivery of holistic care to patients.