Reflective Journal: Effective Communication in Nursing Practice

This reflective journal analyzes the importance of effective communication in nursing practice through two distinct experiences. The first experience focuses on a patient with a pressure sore who primarily communicated non-verbally, highlighting the need for attentive observation and the significance of therapeutic communication to understand and address the patient's needs. The second scenario discusses a language barrier with an Arabic-speaking patient in a prenatal care unit, underscoring the challenges of communication in diverse healthcare settings and the importance of finding appropriate solutions, such as interpreter services, to ensure quality care and patient satisfaction. Both experiences emphasize the need for nurses to adapt their communication skills, be aware of potential barriers, and provide patient-centered care. The journal reflects on how these experiences have shaped the author's understanding of communication's role in improving patient outcomes and the overall quality of care in healthcare settings.

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Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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An effective communication is an essential component in a holistic nursing practice.
Nurses need to guide and train themselves about therapeutic communication with a patient. One
experience, which made me realize the importance of effective communication was when I was
placed in the geriatric ward. A 64 year old patient was admitted for pressure sores grade II in
which he was having a loss of skin (epidermis and dermis layer) and it started looking like a
blister. He was in an immense pain and could hardly speak (Bhattacharya & Mishra, 2015). He
used to interact with the help of gestures and signs, which was not clear to the nurse in charge.
She used to call other nurses when he used to gesture about his dressing or when he needed
something. One day I was called by the nurse to talk to him, which made me use my
communication skills. I needed to communicate non-verbally, which was a challenging
experience for me. After few more attempts I understood what he was saying, and he wanted his
dressing to be changed as he was feeling a burning sensation.
This made me realize the importance of therapeutic communication and how nurses
should be attentive and corporative when they come across such patients because it enhances
their physical and emotional wellbeing. As a nurse, this experience increased my exposure to
different patients and the necessity of advanced communication in certain cases such as this
patient who was unable to express his dilemma. It will make me more prompt when such
situations occur again.

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References
Bhattacharya, S., & Mishra, R. K. (2015). Pressure ulcers: current understanding and newer
modalities of treatment. Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 48(01), 004-016.