Many people with travel nursing jobs work hard to improve the level of communication they have with co-workers and supervisors, but recent research suggests that it may be even more important for them to work on the interactions they have with patients. Being a patient can be stressful and scary, and the more a travel nurse understands this, the better he or she can address patient concerns and raise the level of the care they provide.
Here are some tips to help you improve your communication with patients.
Earning trust
If your patients don't trust you, it is nearly impossible to fully help them. Of course, it is not always easy to earn their confidence, as many patients have a natural fear of and aversion to hospitals. However, there are a few steps you can take to help you foster a trust-based relationship with those in your care.
The most effective solution is surprisingly straightforward: honesty. According to NurseTogether, you should only promise things to patients you know you can follow through on. On the flip side, however, it is important to be as open as possible with your patients about what they will be going through. Hiding the truth – no matter how unsavory it is – will only come back to haunt you. It is also important to be sensitive with regards to communication. If you are concerned about how to handle a situation, talk with your supervisor or a colleague whose advice you trust.
Explain
In fact, it is often helpful to take this emphasis on the truth one step forward. Part of the reason many patients are so averse to a stay in the hospital is because they don't truly understand what is happening to them. Medical procedures are often complicated, and it is easy for patients to feel like they are completely in the dark about their own health.
You can help correct this, however, simply by making an effort to explain what you are doing.
"Nurses are highly skilled in the technical aspects of our job," said Karen Cook, RN, according to Nurse.com. "Where we don't always excel is in helping patients understand what we're doing and why we're doing it."
A straightforward dedication to transparency and explanation can help put your patients at ease and earn their trust. Cook refers to this technique as maintaining a narrative.
"To narrate our care, we just explain what we're doing," she said. "We tell her why the alarm went off, why we're checking her IV bag, why we're checking her blood pressure."
Especially crucial times
It is important to keep patient communication strong at all points, but it is especially essential in a few specific scenarios. When transporting patients, for example, it is crucial that you communicate freely and frequently to reduce the likelihood of a fall. Directly before and after important procedures are two other times when it is particularly vital to maintain a strong connection with your patients. Simply checking in and asking them if they have any further questions or concerns can help you make them more relaxed and willing to vocalize doubts or concerns.
Making time
While you'll frequently be busy, you should not let this affect how much time you devote to your patients. Your relationship with your patients is one of the most important aspects of your job, and you should make time for it even on the most hectic of shifts.
"It's very important to make patients feel we have time for them by not checking our watch, fiddling with our pockets or looking around," Sarah Kraszewski, a nursing expert and educator, told Nursing Times.
It may feel like just another thing you have to keep your mind on, but strong and open communication with patients is actually one of the most important and useful ways to become a better travel nurse.