Effective Communication in Nursing: A Personal Reflection Report

This report provides a personal reflection on effective communication within the context of nursing practice, emphasizing the development of therapeutic relationships. It analyzes the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication skills, patient-centered care, and effective documentation through the case study of Bruce O'Grady, a 65-year-old patient. The reflection highlights how nurses can utilize these skills to address patient needs, including providing guidance on health issues like smoking, unhealthy eating habits, and managing his children's care. The report underscores the significance of understanding a patient's background and the role of documentation in providing reliable and effective nursing services, and the importance of person-centered care in enhancing the overall patient experience.

Running Head- Reflection
Reflection

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Personal Reflection
Introduction
In this paper, effective communication for developing the therapeutic relationship using
nonverbal and verbal communication skills, and person-centered care has been detailed. This
paper will highlight how nurses will use verbal and non-verbal communication skill, person-
centered care and effective documentation in a way to provide effective nursing services. In
order to complete this assignment, Bruce O Grady scenario has been analyzed.
Bruce O Grady
He is patient who is a 65-year-old living in Leafy Avenue, Broad fields. Recently he has
separated with his wife. Currently, Bruce is suffering from a cold and chesty cough. He uses to
manage all the homely affairs after his separation from his wife. He uses to look after his two
children. He uses to help his children in their daily routine and study. But he not good at the
kitchen. He uses to buy the dinner and lunch from the market. He is fond of smoking and
drinking. Every evening he uses to go for an evening walk with his children Lily and Ben.
During summers he used to carry his children fishing. He never uses hats and sunburn which
cause him sunburn. He is in need of nurse who should take care of his and his children. As now
he is not feeling well and not very active.
Effective Verbal and Non-verbal Communication
Effective communication skills play a vital role in resolving the issues and in providing the
services in the best manner (O'hagan et al., 2014). Here in case of Bruce effective verbal and
non-verbal commination skills of nurses may ensure in providing effective services. The nurse
should try to communicate about the danger and harm of drinking excessive wine and smoking

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Personal Reflection
cigarettes. Through verbally nurse should try to make the Bruce aware of the social as well as the
biological harm of cigarettes. The nurse should use their posture and gesture as a sign of Stop or
abdicate when Bruce tries to smoke or drink. Through their facial expression and eyes, they
should make Bruce that smoking is dangerous and harmful.
In the same way, a nurse should guide him in taking healthy food. A nurse should properly
communicate that eating McDonald's and other restaurant food daily will affect the health
condition. Through providing Bruce the proper chart of diet and meal nurse can improve the
health status of the Bruce.
Effective verbal and non- verbal communication is very important as it will lead to providing the
nursing services in an effective manner (Arnold et al., 2015). Effective nursing service will make
the patient and client delighted (Nakate et al., 2015).
Patient-centered care
A nurse should try to understand the family and cultural background of the patient as it will
make nurse perform their services in an effective manner (Kourkouta et al., 2014). Here in case
of Bruce nurse should try to understand the family situation as well as the cultural aspect of the
Bruce because it will guide the nurse in understanding the real situation as it will enable the
nurse to provide the best service according to the Bruce requirement. As here, in this case, Bruce
need proper counseling related to how to avoid Smoking and Drinking. He needs counseling in a
way to use hats and sunblock cream to avoid sunburned. Here Bruce also needs someone who
may look after his children so for this nurse should ensure that she will take care of his children
in a good manner. Bruce is also facing problem-related to food as he not good at cooking so
usually he uses to buy dinner and lunch from McDonald's which is not good for his health for a

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Personal Reflection
long time. So for this Nurse should try to help him in cooking by advising and arranging the
made.
Bruce is suffering from a chesty cough so nurse should guide him in taking Evaporation and
proper inhaler. A nurse should guide Bruce in a way to make him take timely inhaler and to
avoid cold item and food.
Effective documentation
In providing the nursing service in a much better way effective documentation is required. In
nursing effective documentation will help the nurse to understand the situation in deep and it will
also guide the nurse in providing the nursing service in an effective and desirable way (Selvi et
al., 2017). Here in case of Bruce effective documentation will enable the nurse to identify the
key problem and it causes. In this case, the main health problem which Bruce is suffering is a
chesty cough. Through proper documentation, a nurse can easily identify the real and main cause
of this disease. Bruce is smoking excessively which is supporting the chest blockage and
progressing the cough. Beside this documentation will also provide the information that Bruce
usually take McDonalds and KFC food for his lunch and dinner. Which is also not good for
health. A nurse should try to form effective documentation in a way to keep a track on the patient
history. Proper analysis can be done through observing the document of the patient. As it will
serve as a guiding tool in providing the reliable services.
In case of Bruce effective documentation will enable the nurse to know the exact situation of the
Bruce it will provide the nurse the information about what decision is required to provide the
reliable service. It will guide the nurse in looking the changing situation over the time. Proper
documentation will also provide changes in condition with the change in time.

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Personal Reflection
Conclusion
In the end, it can be concluded that effective verbal and nonverbal communication as well as
person-centered care and documentation is very important in delivering the reliable nursing
service. Proper communication will lead the patient to get delighted with the services provided
by the nurse. In the same manner, effective documentation and person-centered care will also
play an important role in providing the nursing service in an effective manner (Ulin et al., 2016).
In order to provide the nursing service in a reliable manner, nurses should try to know the
background of their patient because it will enable the nurse to serve in the best manner.

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Personal Reflection
References
Kourkouta, L., & Papathanasiou, I. V. (2014, February). Retrieved April 19, 2018, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3990376/
O'hagan, S., Manias, E., Elder, C., Pill, J., Woodward‐Kron, R., McNamara, T., & McColl, G.
(2014). What counts as effective communication in nursing? Evidence from nurse educators' and
clinicians' feedback on nurse interactions with simulated patients. Journal of advanced
nursing, 70(6), 1344-1355.
Arnold, E. C., & Boggs, K. U. (2015). Interpersonal Relationships-E-Book: Professional
Communication Skills for Nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Ulin, K., Olsson, L. E., Wolf, A., & Ekman, I. (2016). Person-centered care–An approach that
improves the discharge process. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 15(3), e19-e26.
Selvi, S. (2017). Documentation in Nursing Practice. International Journal of Nursing
Education, 9(4).
Nakate, G., Dahl, D., Drake, K. B., & Petrucka, P. (2015). Knowledge and attitudes of select
Ugandan nurses towards documentation of patient care. African Journal of Nursing and
Midwifery, 2(1), 056.