Case Study Analysis: Communication and Patient Care in Nursing

This case study analysis examines several scenarios in healthcare settings, focusing on the importance of effective communication between nurses, patients, and care workers. The analysis explores how nurses can utilize communication skills to understand patient concerns, assess health conditions, and develop appropriate intervention strategies, including encouraging medication adherence and lifestyle changes like quitting smoking. The cases also highlight the need for care workers to assess patient needs, provide support, and address potential workplace conflicts professionally. The analysis emphasizes the impact of clear communication on patient outcomes, satisfaction, and overall healthcare quality. The student also discusses methods to address workplace conflicts and communicate concerns to supervisors effectively. The assignment references various research papers to support the analysis.

Running head:CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author’s name

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Case study- A
The nurse must ensure to maintain effective communication in order to understand the
patient’s concerns comprehensively and develop intervention strategies addressing those
concerns. Effective communication is central to nursing and maintaining an effective
communication is important to attain an improve health outcome of the patients and increase
their satisfaction (Vermeir et al. 2015). Every healthcare professionals including nurses must
possess the key competencies and certain skill set to ensure an enhanced nursing care(Vermeir et
al. 2015). Thus, in this case, the nurse must use effective communication skills to understand and
evaluate the patient’s current health condition and develop strategies. The nurse should maintain
therapeutic relationship and professional boundary during the whole interaction(Price 2017).The
nurse must ask her whether she is adhered to her medications and have given up on smoking. If
not, the nurse must encourage her to maintain self-management strategies by giving her
information as to why they are important. The nurse should maintain an effective communication
by actively listening to her concerns and developing a professional relationship with Mrs
Foley(Koul 2017). The nurse should also provide information to Mrs Foley about her condition
and evaluate her anxiety level by observing her behaviour and appearance. The nurse must also
look for other symptoms or indicators to evaluate her anxiety level.
Conversation
Nurse: Good morning Mrs Foley. How are you doing?
Mrs Foley: Good morning nurse. I am doing well.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Nurse: Mrs Foley do you still experience those symptoms?
Mrs Foley: No, I do not face such severe symptoms like before, however, I still have breathing
trouble and often feel fatigue.
Nurse: Are you taking those medicines that were prescribed to you? Do you follow the
instructions?
Mrs Foley: Absolutely yes. However, I often miss doses because of forgetfulness.
Nurse: You must not do that. You can set an alarm or mark in a ‘to do list’ to take your
medicines on time so that you do not miss them. Medical adherence is necessary to improve your
health.
Mrs Foley: Okay. I have also not quitted smoking which I think is making my health worse.
Nurse: You must give up smoking on priority basis. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart
diseases. Smoking impacts nearly any organ in the body, including the skin, blood flow, heart,
lungs, mouth, reproductive organs, bones, liver, and digestive organs. If you do not quit smoking
it will be detrimental effects on your health and your condition will worsen with time.
Mrs Foley: Okay. I will try quitting it soon. Thank you so much.
Nurse: Welcome dear. Have a great day.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Case study- C
The nurse mustpersuade effective communication skills by communicating with the
patient and collecting all subjective data through proper interaction(Koul 2017). The nurse must
ask about her current health condition and how much she has improved. Since, Mavis stays alone
at her house and does not have a family to support her, she must be asked if she needs any
assistance. Mavis must be asked whether she needs any assistance with her regular activities or
any other things. She must be asked about the supports she has already been receiving at her
house and what extra support she needs. Mavis may require to alter her house where she will be
accompanied by other people or carers. She might also need carers coming into her house. Thus,
Mavis must be asked about her needs and what else must be arranged for her. She must asked for
physiotherapy since physiotherapy induces an increase in muscle strength and also improve
walking efficiency and safety(Fuchs et al. 2017). Physiotherapy strengthens muscle and thus
after a femoral fracture when most of the muscles become weaker, physiotherapy is important.
Thus, she must be recommended for undergoing physiotherapy (Fuchs et al. 2017). The nurse
should understand her concerns by effectively communicating with her and develop strategies to
improve her health condition by addressing the concerns.
Conversation:
Nurse: Hello Mavis! How are you doing?
Mavis: Hi dear. Well, I am doing great.
Nurse: Mavis, I am calling you to know whether you are facing any problem or you need any
help. Are you still staying alone?

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Mavis: Oh! That’s so kind of you. No dear, I am not facing any trouble. Yes, I stay alone; but I
have my colleagues who often come to visit me which makes me feel better.
Nurse: Yeah, that’s great! What additional support did you get from them?
Mavis: They all visit my house and keep a track on me. They have also offered me to stay with
anyone of them who can assist me with cooking and other household activities, however, I have
denied and wanted to stay alone at my house.
Nurse: Well, why did you do so? You can stay with them until your condition is improved.
Mavis: I cannot be a burden to someone’s life. I can manage my work alone and if I need any
help I will give you a call or directly meet the doctor.
Nurse: Okay sure. Will you mind if a carer comes to your house and visit you often?
Mavis: That’s so kind of you, but I do not need a carer either. I am fine now and if I need
anything I will surely inform you.
Nurse: Okay dear. It was nice talking to you. Thank you and have a great day ahead.
Mavis: Same to you dear. Bye!
Case study- D
Considering Hilda’s health condition, it is important that the care worker asks her
whether she requires assistance for performing her daily activities and assess her current health
concerns and take appropriate intervention strategies based on her health. It is important that the

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
care worker takes into account the patient’s difficulties and health concerns by thoroughly and
effectively communicating with her. Effective communication is an important aspect to care as it
allows the care provider to understands the patient’s situation more comprehensively and collect
all subjective data regarding the patient’s health that will guide the treatment process(Kourkouta
and Papathanasiou 2014). Thus, in this case, Hilda must be effectively communicated and asked
about her current health condition that will hep the care worker to access the gap in care and
modify the care plan accordingly. There is a need to proper follow up in order to evaluate the
effectiveness of the care plan developed and also to determine the patient’s health outcome
achieved. If Hilda is not found to be improving there is a need to alter or modify the care plan
that will help her achieve an improved health outcome and enable her to take daily
responsibilities. However, since the patient has been doing her daily activities on her own, the
care worker must ask her about her experiences and the difficulties she is facing and then
implement further strategies to improve her condition.
Conversation
Care worker: Hi Hilda. How are you doing?
Hilda: Well I am quite fine now. I was initially having a sharp pain in the wrists while touching
any object with pressure, but gradually the pain has reduced to a significant level and now I am
able to pick up objects easily and do all household activities.
Care worker: Oh that’s really good! You are improving and I hope you will do great. Kindly, let
me know if you face any trouble.
Hilda: Yes sure. I will definitely inform you.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Care worker: How has been your experience after getting back your own personal
responsibilities?
Hilda: I was not confident initially and thought of asking for help, however, everything changed
gradually. I started taking more responsibilities and stated believing in myself.
Care worker: Do you still experience pain?
Hilda: Yes a little but not very often. I don’t have any severe pains right now. However, it
sometimes hurt if I carry heavy weight or lift any heavy objects. Therefore, I strictly avoid lifting
weights and doing heavy activities. Other than that I am quite okay now.
Care worker: I am really happy to know this. I think you do not need the pain killers anymore; I
will remove them from your medication chart.
Hilda: Oh thank you so much. Good bye!
Care worker: Goodbye dear. Take a very good care of yourself.
Question PC 4.4
Workplace conflicts are common in every professional setting. Conflicts can have
adverse effect on clients, consumers or patient’s health outcome and thus, must be prevented on
priority basis(Overton and Lowry 2013). Conflict arise as a result of dissimilar views or
perceptions among co-workers or colleagues, difference in priority or interest and various other

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
reasons including personal behavioural attributes like aggressiveness, rudeness and others.
Looking back into this case, the issue of conflict must be brought into the supervisor’s notice in
order to immediately stop and preventing these situation arise again(Overton and Lowry 2013).
If I was the worker in the community centre, I would have consulted the manager about
the behaviour of my co-worker as soon as possible. A delay in the same cam cause a significant
delay in the client’s care. I would visit him and elaborate him aboutthe incident in a professional
manner and by communicating effectively with him. I would make sure to convince the manager
with valid points and convey him the whole incident in an appropriate manner.

CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
References
Fuchs, R.K., Kersh, M.E., Carballido-Gamio, J., Thompson, W.R., Keyak, J.H. and Warden, S.J.,
2017. Physical activity for strengthening fracture prone regions of the proximal femur. Current
osteoporosis reports, 15(1), pp.43-52.
Koul, P.A., 2017. Effective communication, the heart of the art of medicine. Lung India: official
organ of Indian Chest Society, 34(1), p.95.
Kourkouta, L. and Papathanasiou, I.V., 2014. Communication in nursing practice. Materia socio-
medica, 26(1), p.65.
Overton, A.R. and Lowry, A.C., 2013. Conflict management: difficult conversations with
difficult people. Clinics in colon and rectal surgery, 26(04), pp.259-264.
Price, B., 2017. Developing patient rapport, trust and therapeutic relationships. Nursing
Standard, 31(50).
Vermeir, P., Vandijck, D., Degroote, S., Peleman, R., Verhaeghe, R., Mortier, E., Hallaert, G.,
Van Daele, S., Buylaert, W. and Vogelaers, D., 2015. Communication in healthcare: a narrative
review of the literature and practical recommendations. International journal of clinical
practice, 69(11), pp.1257-1267.