Pearson Module 38 Communication

The nurse is conducting a home visit for a patient who indicates feeling depressed due to not progressing as fast as expected after surgery. The nurse states, "Everyone heals differently. What do you think is hindering your progression?"

Which factor supports the nurse-patient relationship by being direct and showing concern to the patient's issue?

Credibility and adaptability

Simplicity and relevance

Clarity and brevity

Timing and relevance

Clarity & brevity

A patient is being admitted for dehydration. The patient can understand English but has difficulty speaking the language. Which strategy should the nurse implement in this situation?

Google the patient's heritage.

Use proper medical terminology to communicate because of the patient's education.

Use gestures commonly used in the United States.

Know how individuals in the patient's culture greet one another.

Know how individuals in the patient's culture greet one another.

The nurse has been determining a method of communicating with a patient who is recovering from a stroke. Which patient observation indicates that an effective communication method has been established by the nurse?

Holding a pen to write on paper

Groaning to get the nurse's attention

Spelling words on a bedside table using tiled letters

Slapping the nurse's hand to refuse an action

Spelling words on a bedside table using tiled letters

The nurse came into a patient's room and took a chair by the patient's bedside for use by another patient's family member. The chair was never returned.

Which communication issue was violated by the nurse?

Territoriality

Congruence

Environment

Attitudes

Territoriality

An older adult patient with a hearing deficit is admitted to the unit by the nurse. Which nursing action should the nurse follow to support the patient's communication needs during the assessment process?

Ask whether a family member is available to complete the assessment.

Sit beside the patient during the assessment.

Shout into the patient's good ear when talking.

Close the door to the room when conducting the assessment.

Close the door to the room when conducting the assessment.

A patient states, "I've been having stomach pain, nausea, headache, and diarrhea for the past 3 days." The nurse intently nods while writing the patient's symptoms. Which part of the communication process is the nurse demonstrating?

Response

Sender

Receiver

Message

Response

The nurse is preparing to explain the insertion of an intravenous catheter into the arm of a patient who has never been hospitalized. Which explanation by the nurse is the most appropriate for this procedure?

"A small tube is put in a blood vessel, and liquid is dripped into your body."

"An angiocath is inserted in a vein, and fluids are administered."

"A needle is inserted in a vein so that this bag of fluid is pushed into your body."

"An intracath is placed in a vein, and the IV is set to administer 100 mL per hour."

"A small tube is put in a blood vessel, and liquid is dripped into your body."

Which technique should the nurse use to effectively communicate with an older adult patient?

Use illustrations.

Have the patient write down questions.

Speak in simple, short sentences, one subject at a time.

Have family members leave the room.

Speak in simple, short sentences, one subject at a time.

An older adult patient who is postoperative will be discharged in 1 day. The patient expresses concern to the nurse regarding the things that need to be done. The nurse tells the patient, "To better attain your goals and functioning, being discharged to home is better for you." Which barrier to communication is being used here?

Giving common advice

Probing

Unwarranted reassurance

Stereotyping

Giving common advice

A hearing-impaired patient presents with an eye infection. The nurse is tasked to instruct the patient for home treatments. Which is the most effective method of communication that the nurse should use to communicate with this patient?

Be clear.

Use gestures.

Provide written instructions with illustrations.

Use simple language and terminology.

Provide written instructions with illustrations.

During a home visit, the nurse observes a patient perform wound care that is different from the verbal instructions. The written instructions are crumpled and located at the bottom of a stack of papers. Which action by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Tell the patient that a new set of instructions will be brought during the next visit.

Verbally review the wound care process with the patient again.

Place the instructions on the top of the stack for the patient to use.

Explain that the patient is at risk for a wound infection.

Verbally review the wound care process with the patient again.

The nurse recommends short, simple communication for older adult patients with cognitive impairment to colleagues. Which statement by a colleague requires correction?

"Do you remember what Dr. Jones told you?"

"Please lift your arm up."

"Please sign your name here?"

"Is she your daughter?"

"Do you remember what Dr. Jones told you?"

The nurse manager assigns a staff nurse to attend a program on communication skills after hearing a conversation that the staff nurse had with a patient. Which statement prompted the nurse manager to send the staff nurse to a program on communication skills?

"How are you feeling today, Mr. Smith?"

"Please step on the scale."

"You are going to be okay."

"Can I borrow your chair for about an hour?"

"You are going to be okay."

A 10-year-old patient is waiting for the nurse to complete a health history. After entering the room, which place would be most appropriate for the nurse to sit in to conduct the history with the patient?

One foot away from the patient

About 4-12 feet from the patient

From 1½-4 feet from the patient

Against the wall near the door

From 1½-4 feet from the patient

The nurse observes a patient's gait and posture as the patient walks toward the treatment room. Which assessment related to nonverbal communication can the nurse make when observing a patient's posture and gait?

Evaluation of the patient's self-concept, mood, and health status

Determination of the patient's social and financial status

Learning the patient's real reaction to a health problem or situation

Determination of the patient's use of cultural cues

Evaluation of the patient's self-concept, mood, and health status

The manager schedules an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) to attend a basic communication program after observing the UAP provide patient care.

Which action by the UAP most likely resulted in this type of referral?

Referring to a 75-year-old male patient as "Mr. Dan"

Talking with a newly admitted patient about his grandchildren

Referring to a 70-year-old patient's abdominal wound as "your incision"

Asking a 65-year-old patient, "Are we ready to get out of bed?"

Asking a 65-year-old patient, "Are we ready to get out of bed?"

As the newly hired nurse completed a procedure, a colleague stated, "You forgot to put away the canula!" The newly hired nurse was very apologetic and offered to do other tasks to compensate for the forgetfulness. The newly hired nurse is presenting as which type of communicator?

Aggressive communicator

Passive communicator

Active communicator

Assertive communicator

Passive communicator

A patient tells the nurse that the best way of communicating is through email. Which information would be inappropriate for the nurse to communicate using this method?

Results of the patient's pregnancy test

What time to report to the hospital for a diagnostic test

Change in appointment time with a specialist

Name of the pharmacy that has the patient's prescription in stock

Results of the patient's pregnancy test

A 10-year-old came in for a visit for allergy testing, accompanied by his mother. Which action is appropriate by the nurse?

Proceed to the testing.

Explain the procedure to the mother.

Tell the patient to lay on their stomach.

Talk to the child at their eye level.

Talk to the child at their eye level.

The nurse prepares to assess an older adult patient who has a hearing deficit. Which action by the nurse indicates the need for training in effective communication?

Asking the family to wait in the hall

Facing the patient when speaking

Turning down the volume on the television set

Closing the door to the room

Asking the family to wait in the hall

A patient asks, "Why is my blood sugar so high?" The nurse replies, "Well, it's your fault. I see that you have been eating those cinnamon buns your daughter brought you." Which type of communicator is the nurse presenting as?

Aggressive communicator

Passive communicator

Assertive communicator

Active communicator

Aggressive communicator

During a health history interview, the patient denies having any health problems but then crosses their arms and looks away. Which behavior is indicated by this patient?

The patient is bored with the nurse asking too many questions.

The patient's verbal communication and nonverbal communication are not congruent.

The nurse is rushing the patient to complete the health history.

The nurse is taking too long, and the patient is uncomfortable sitting in a chair.

The patient's verbal communication and nonverbal communication are not congruent.

Which is an appropriate goal for a patient with the nursing diagnosis Communication: Verbal, Impaired?

The patient will state ways to reduce communication deficits.

The patient will call for help before getting out of bed.

The patient will effectively communicate needs.

The patient will review discharge instructions at home

The patient will effectively communicate needs.

The nurse manager is evaluating the success of assertiveness training classes that staff nurses attended to improve communicating with physicians. Which behavior by a staff nurse indicates the need for further training?

Apologizing to the neurosurgeon for "bothering him" with a question

Using a neutral voice when discussing a patient's abnormal laboratory values

Stating "I would like some help" when planning care with other team members

Identifying an area where both the nurse and patient agree

Apologizing to the neurosurgeon for "bothering him" with a question

Which part of the body or movement should the nurse consider to be most expressive when assessing a patient's nonverbal communication?

Face

Hand

Posture

Gait

Face

While transferring a patient back into bed after a procedure, the patient states that it wasn't very nice for the nurse to say that the "cow was coming down the hall." Which is the most appropriate response by the nurse in this situation?

"The term 'cow' stands for a computer on wheels."

"I was just joking with that person!"

"I didn't mean to call someone a cow!"

"You must have misunderstood what I said."

"The term 'cow' stands for a computer on wheels."

An older adult patient just returned to the patient's room after physical therapy. Which question should the nurse ask to demonstrate support?

"Sweetie, did you have fun?"

"Did that make you tired?"

"Are you hungry?"

"What did you do in physical therapy today?"

"What did you do in physical therapy today?"