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| Jennifer Rackley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To Table of Contents | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| English 111-03 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| November 27, 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interview Paper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Communication is Vital | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Have you ever met a person who never stopped to take a breath of air while talking? They never let anyone else get a word in edgewise? They would just go on and on as if their opinions, thoughts and feelings were the only ones that mattered in the world? Or, maybe, you know the opposite type of person? They never say what they think or feel, and when you talk to them it's like talking to the wall? If you have been really lucky, you have met both types of people. What is wrong with these people is that they do not know how to communicate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Encarta World English Dictionary defines the ability to communicate as, "transmitting or revealing a feeling or thought, by speech, writing, or gesture so that it is clearly understood." Not only is it important to have good listening and speaking skills, but also to be able to write plainly and to interpret body language accurately. An effective communicator posses all of these skills and uses them on a daily basis. A registered nurse has to be just such a communicator (Campbell-Skelly). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When a patient enters a doctor's office, the first person that examines them is the nurse. The nurse checks all of the patient's vital signs and speaks with the patient about the nature of his or her ailment. The nurse must ask the right questions to determine the exact symptoms the patient is having. For instance, when a patient with abdominal pain walks into a doctor's office, the nurse must ask such questions as: is it a sharp pain or dull? On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst pain you ever felt, how would you rate the pain? Does it hurt on the right side or the left? And so on. The nurse then carefully records the patient's answers for the doctor to review. According to Ms. Campbell-Skelly, it is the nurse's oral and written communication skills that the doctor relies on to diagnose the patient. The patient relies on the nurse to inform the doctor and to keep his or her responses confidential. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In a hospital setting, the patient is even more dependent on the nurse than on the doctor. Often, the patient has the most contact with the nurse. The nurse is responsible for the care of the patient and should be ready to answer questions concerning illness and medication. In the event that the patient does not understand the doctor's diagnosis or instructions, the nurse must be able to explain in the doctor's absence. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In addition to these skills, a good nurse will keep up with other goings on in his or her specialty, as well as the medical world in general. Outside research is necessary to stay abreast of the latest medical news and advice. If a nurse is asked an obscure medical question, such as how Apergers syndrome is acquired, he or she should either already know the answer, or have the ability to locate materials to find out the answer for the patient. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Internet is a wonderful resource. The nurses of today have access to scads more information than nurses of twenty years ago. Because of this, nurses must possess some working computer skills. Ms. Campbell-Skelly states that today's nurses must have the skills necessary to navigate the Internet and to use e-mail. Also, basic typing skills, knowledge of medical computer programs, word processing, and spreadsheets are required. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nurses also use computer programs that assist in giving presentations. Ms. Campbell-Skelly has given presentations, to educate the general public, on topics that range from effective parenting to breast cancer awareness. She has volunteered her time in an effort to teach people, medically, better ways to do things. She says that a nurse must have good oral presentation skills and be seen as approachable by the population. Often people in the community see the nurse as a touchstone and seek help with him or her first. Therefore, it is essential that a nurse be a trustworthy person and have a high ethical code. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Besides teaching, many nurses chose to become students and continually refresh their education. Frequently, conferences and symposiums are held that allow members of the medical community to come together to learn the latest news and swap ideas and insights. Some nurses opt to also take college courses on subjects that would add to their knowledge or give them a new skill. Additionally, every few years they must take a re-certification class on subjects such as CPR and neo-natal care. A nurse is always learning something that he or she can use on the job; to assist patients as well as doctors, and to be an all around better nurse. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If you have ever met a person who never spoke his or her mind or a person who never let you have a say, hopefully that person was not a nurse. Nurses pride themselves on being patient advocates. The nurse acts as the go between for patients and doctors, ensuring that the patients' needs are met. Above all, the nurse abides by the basic principle that communication is vital. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Works Cited | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Campbell-Skelly, Sue. Personal interview.26 November 2001. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Communication." Encarta World English Dictionary. World ed. 1999. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||