Chapter 3: Communication Skills

Nursing Assisting: A Foundation in Caregiving - 6th Edition

Active Listening

Giving full attention while someone is speaking and encouraging them to share and clarify ideas

Adverse Event (Sentinel Event)

An unexpected event that causes serious injury or death

Barrier

A block or obstacle

Body Language

Messages sent through facial expressions, gestures, and posture

Care Conference

A meeting to share information and plan a resident’s care

Care Plan

A written plan outlining care tasks and goals for a resident

Charting

Recording care and observations; documenting

Code

An emergency medical situation requiring trained responders

Code Status

Documentation stating what care should be given in a medical emergency

(organ failure, cardiac or respiratory arrest, or terminal illness)

Critical Thinking

Using reasoning and observation to solve problems and report concerns

Culture

Shared beliefs, values, traditions, and behaviors of a group

Edema

Swelling caused by excess fluid in body tissues

Incident

An accident, problem, or unexpected event during care

Incident Report

A written report describing an incident and the response to it

Medical Chart

The legal record of all medical care received

Minimum Data Set (MDS)

A detailed assessment tool used in long-term care facilities

Nonverbal Communication

Communication without words, such as gestures or facial expressions

Nursing Process

An organized method nurses use to assess, plan, provide, and evaluate care

Objective Information

Factual information observed using the senses; signs

Orientation

A person’s awareness of person, place, and time

Prefix

A word part added to the beginning of a root word

Prioritize

To arrange tasks by importance

Root

The main part of a word that gives its basic meaning

Rounds

Scheduled visits to assess residents and discuss care plans

Subjective Information

Information reported by the resident; symptoms

Suffix

A word part added to the end of a root word

Verbal Communication

Communication using spoken or written words

Vital Signs

Measurements that show body function, such as temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate,