Question

Therapeutic Communications in Mental Health:

Case Study:

A 58-year old woman, who is Asian, has been transported to emergency department (ED) from home, by ambulance. She fell down her front steps when her neighbor found her rocking back and forth, holding her right arm. The neighbor, who speaks both English and Chinese, translates the scenario to the ED room nurse who is taking administrative intake. A male doctor comes into to attend to his new patient. She looks away and states to her neighbor that, “it’s time to go home.” The patient is still rocking her body back and forth.

1. You are the attending nurse, what should you do?

2. How will you communicate with this patient?

3. What type of communication is the patient displaying?

Answer 1

The patient's verbalisation of "its time to go home" after seeing a male person in the emergency indicates that she needs privacy and same gender service .The nurse can respond by actions like providing privacy .If the attending doctor is going to be a male, inform the patient in prior and ask for her preferences and choices . This can reduce the discomfortness of patient and make her to participate in the care.

The patient has to be communicated in a reassurance way by using verbal and non verbal communication techniques because of language barrier. Use of simple language,universal gestures and repeating if necessary to make the patient understand .

The patient is displaying verbal communication by expressing her concerns through words.