Communication Archives | �ֻ��Ƭ

Jobstacles: How to Conduct a Smooth Nurse Intake Health Assessment

Courtney Eaves — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 16:51:26 +0000

The first and often most important interaction a nurse has with a patient is their initial nurse intake interview, also called a health assessment. This is when you meet the patient and gather information about symptoms and health history. A standard health assessment will give you and other healthcare providers the necessary baseline to start further evaluation and eventual treatment.

Performing a patient health assessment can become rote. To a certain degree, this is a good thing—for a highly competent nurse this exercise is second nature. But this doesn’t mean they should all be the same, and for inquisitive nurses looking to make an intake even smoother and more efficient, there are ways to take your nurse-patient interview from standard to a higher standard.

Ready to become an even better nurse? Learn strategies and habits that can make a difference in patient outcomes. Here are some intake basics and health assessment best practices, as well as tips to overcome certain intake obstacles.

Nurse-Patient Health Assessment Basics

Let’s start with what they do teach you in nursing school before we move on to some pro tips and troubleshooting techniques you might find useful on a case-by-case basis. So what is a standard intake process a nurse performs? First consider the purpose of an intake assessment—information gathering. If you think gathering patient history is just a routine step in patient intake, consider that . It’s routine because it’s important.

During your initial patient assessment, you’ll want to collect the :

Data (objective and subjective)
Family history
Medical and surgical history
Medication history
Psychosocial history

In many healthcare settings, a patient will fill out a standardized form that includes much of the above, either in the waiting room or in advance of their appointment. During your intake interview, you may also want to obtain information about the patient’s sociological and spiritual needs.

In addition to collecting the health history of the patient, you’ll do the initial physical assessment to gather some immediate information about the patient’s condition. This physical part of the intake assessment involves checking vital signs and other physical statuses that will often include:

Blood pressure
Temperature
Heart rate
Respiratory rate
Weight
Pain scale

Both patient history and physical data collection give you and other providers treating the patient a baseline to begin making decisions about what’s next, whether that includes collecting additional data through further examination or tests, or moving forward with a care plan and treatment schedule. The complexity of the patient’s condition will often guide how much additional assessment is needed.

Creating the Nurse-Patient Relationship

Creating and cultivating a nurse-patient relationship is one of the soft skills of nursing that can have a significant impact in setting treatment up for success. Since the patient’s intake interview is likely your first interaction, this is your opportunity to create a foundation for communication and trust.

For a detailed look at this first interaction, we invite you to view our post on How to Make a Good First Impression on a Patient [1] , but here are some practical ways to make this part of the process count by treating this face-to-face as an opportunity to establish the right rapport:

Make Eye Contact: Meeting your patient’s eyes demonstrates that they have your full attention, and are there to make a connection.
Offer a Smile: Your patient needs a friendly face, particularly if they are concerned about their symptoms.
Speak Clearly and Politely: Always be professional with your patient, but that doesn’t mean you have to be impersonal. Use language they can follow, and keep it warm.
Practice Active Listening: Prepare to listen, don’t interrupt, observe physical cues, and be responsive. Sometimes patients communicate with more than words.
Respect Personal Space: Until or unless you start a physical exam, give your patient at least an arm’s length. There’s science behind this, and it’s called .

If you follow these rules of thumb and other intuitive courtesies to put your patient at ease, they may feel more comfortable with you, and therefore more forthcoming about any symptoms or histories they might otherwise omit. The more you know, the better everyone’s chance at a good patient outcome. Your patient might not have any questions (yet) but if they do, make room for them. Show your patient you’re there to provide them with information, too.

Strategies for Effective and Empathetic Communication

Empathy is a broad term, but you’ll need it to conduct a superior intake interview when recording a patient’s history and symptoms. In addition to active listening (mentioned above), there are to put your patient at ease and foster trust:

Nonverbal Communication: In addition to observing your patient for nonverbal behavior that can give you clues about your patient’s pain or anxiety, you can communicate non-verbally as well. Here are a few ways to communicate while saying nothing:

Stillness: While your patient is speaking, adopt a relaxed posture and try not to fidget. Stillness communicates to your patient that you are listening attentively. You can even mirror your patient’s position to show empathy.
Physical Contact: Follow your patient’s nonverbal lead on whether to offer a reassuring touch. Some patients may not want physical contact, but for others holding their hand or placing yours on their arm or back can make them feel less alone.
Eye Contact: Again, meeting your patient’s eyes is a good way to connect. Your patient is operating from a place of uncertainty, and eye contact may reassure them that you’re not avoiding anything difficult or embarrassing.
Silence: Sometimes a moment of silence will give the conversation the space it needs to continue. Don’t interrupt your patient; they might have more to say about a symptom or history.

A Shared Experience: Remember that you and your patient are in this together. Sharing a laugh, some hope, or even a little something about yourself can help humanize your interaction, and create a stronger sense of connection.

Share Humor: Sharing an appropriate laugh with a patient can help ease tension and foster connection. You may be able to find humor in a shared culture, if you have one.
Share Hope and Positivity: Even if your patient is facing a difficult prognosis or course of treatment, try to instill hopefulness and the possibility of a positive outcome.
Share Yourself: Within , disclosing a little bit about yourself promotes togetherness, shared trust, and may help your patient feel less alone.

Read (and Ask) Between the Lines: As a nurse, you’re not just there to receive information, but to focus the conversation and interpret where more clarity or disclosure might help. Use communication tactics that can help you make the most of your intake conversation:

Maintain Focus: Don’t let the conversation get lost in irrelevant anecdotes or banter. Gently steer things back to the issues at hand when you need to.
Pursue Clarifications: Ask your patient to elaborate or reframe anything that feels unclear or could be interpreted in more than one way. Having your patient rephrase something you’re not sure about will help you avoid miscommunication.
Summarize and Reiterate: Summarizing the patient’s own information back to them may lead them to clarify or correct something important. Keep your summary clear and in terms everyone can follow.
Invite Questions: Don’t end your intake without opening up for questions, if appropriate. Not only does this empower and inform your patient, you never know when a patient’s question will actually reveal something that did not come out naturally before.

What to Do When a Patient Isn’t Cooperative

Not every patient assessment will go smoothly, no matter how prepared and adaptive you are. A patient may be uncooperative or unforthcoming for many reasons that aren’t necessarily deceitful. They may be embarrassed, fearful, forgetful, or may simply not understand what kind of information is important to share. Many patients may not know their full family health histories, or even their own health history in entirety.

Any scenario where a patient leaves out key information is compromising their safety. Often this omission is unintentional; for example, a patient may not mention a symptom they see as irrelevant or innocuous, but may in fact lead to a diagnosis. There’s no way to know what a patient is leaving out, but if symptoms suggest there’s more to the story, the best thing you can do is ask questions and encourage your patient to share even those details they might deem unrelated.

Another possible scenario is a patient who is lying out of guilt or embarrassment. You may pick up on this through body language, like a delayed response to a question or avoiding eye contact. Perhaps your patient hasn’t been taking their medication on schedule because their financial situation has changed and they can’t afford it. Maybe you suspect your patient is embellishing their exercise regime and attention to nutrition, or downplaying smoking habits. In these instances, the nurse-patient relationship is your friend. You can express gentle skepticism to prod out the truth, or offer advice that takes a likely omission into account.

Yet another possibility is that you have a patient with a substance abuse disorder who lies about their substance use either out of shame or, worse, in the interest of obtaining a prescription. Your facility may have specific policies in place for these scenarios, such as asking patients to sign an agreement that they won’t seek another prescription for a controlled substance elsewhere. That conversation will likely take place with the doctor, but your communication skills and instincts can be lifesaving when it comes to avoiding prescription interactions or worse.

Scenarios involving patients with behavioral issues that may need a very specific type of approach that warrants their own discussion and set of protocols. Make sure you’re familiar with your organization’s protocols, safety measures and other resources for interacting with these types of patients.

Hopefully in most instances, however, you’ll be able to tease out the information you need using the techniques above, if the patient doesn’t offer it without some questioning. If not, it may become necessary to confront the patient about falsehoods to correct the assessment. If it comes to that, stay nonjudgmental and remind your patient that you truly need all the information—especially the uncomfortable information—to keep them safe.

Concluding Your Assessment

Once you’ve concluded your intake interview with the patient, allowed for questions, asked for clarification, and pursued any missing information, end the assessment with courtesy and warmth. Remember to thank your patient by name and, if you’ll be seeing them again, remind them of yours. You’ve completed your first collaboration in the health of your patient, setting them up for a good experience and the best possible outcome.

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Job Hunter: Networking Do’s and Don’ts for Business Students

Courtney Eaves — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 20:30:00 +0000

If you’re interested in a career in business, you’ll need to learn more than economics, marketing, and management techniques — you need to learn how to network. What is business networking? It’s simply making connections that can nurture your career, and there’s an art form to it. Whether you end up meeting a possible hiring manager or an entrepreneurial partner, every connection you make holds possibility.

Some people are natural networkers, but for others, it’s an acquired skill. The good news is the more you do it, the easier it gets — and if you’re driven to succeed in business, you’ll be doing a lot of it.

We’ve compiled some best practices and networking tips for students, so you know what to do and—equally important—what not to do. Use this primer of business networking do’s and don’ts to get ready to put yourself out there.

DO: Start Early

It’s never too soon to start networking. Even on your first day of your first year of business school, start building relationships at every opportunity. Look for like-minded peers and foster relationships. Accept every opportunity to meet with people in your chosen profession. Put out the word to friends and family, create student groups, and get to know your professors.

As you prepare for networking, you should start by building your personal brand. Think about what sets you apart and what you have to offer, be it a special skill, a cultural perspective, or just a great idea. Practice your “elevator pitch,” or a 30-second speech for selling yourself and your qualifications for a particular job or opportunity.

�ٰ��’T: Only Network With ‘Higher-Ups’

Good networkers know how to play the long game. Not every person you meet is a job offer waiting to happen… yet. You want to build connections that will benefit you throughout your career, and often that comes from creating relationships that may not have an immediate professional payoff.

That classmate might be the next big disrupter with a hot tech property or become an SVP of a big brand. Find people you respect now, and stay in touch for later.

DO: Create a LinkedIn Profile

Make it a priority to get your LinkedIn profile up and running. LinkedIn is the professional network, and you’ll be expected to have a presence. It’s not just pervasively used by recruiters seeking talent, but it’s also a turnkey tool for job hunting and building out a wider network.

For a crash course in getting your LinkedIn going, we have a whole post on LinkedIn profile tips.

�ٰ��’T: Be a Stalker

People need professional space in the same way they need personal space. When you follow up (and you should), do it through contact information you’ve been given directly, or find the person on LinkedIn. If you’re looking for points of common interest, you can take a peek at someone’s other social media, but don’t make it weird. Bringing up someone’s kids or commenting on their vacation destinations can be intrusive and off-putting.

DO: Request an Introduction

Know somebody who knows somebody? Don’t be shy about asking for an introduction. Connections in common are great professional capital — use them!

Networking through your existing personal network can get you access you wouldn’t have on your own, and being vouched for is a priceless shortcut to making a great first impression. Remember to thank whoever does the introducing.

�ٰ��’T: Get Too Personal

Avoid a common error many people make in professional conversations: don’t get too personal or overshare. When you network, remember this is a professional relationship you’re pursuing. Even if you really hit it off with someone, don’t let the conversation get too familiar. This doesn’t mean you can’t make small talk about the weather or share an anecdote about a recent trip. Just use your instincts in conversation and observe “personal” space.

DO: Be an Active Listener

A good rule of thumb the first time you meet someone is to listen more than you speak. Not only does this demonstrate courtesy, but you learn more about a potential connection. Yes, you’ll want to sell yourself and present your pitch, but make sure that’s all couched in two-way conversation.

Practice being present when you’re talking to someone new. And if you’re not good with names or faces, teach yourself how to use memory techniques like mnemonic devices. People are flattered when you remember them, and often turned off when you don’t.

�ٰ��’T: Be a Stranger

When someone becomes successful, lapsed friends and colleagues tend to come out of the woodwork. People notice if they only hear from you when you want something, or when their ship has come in. Don’t be a fair-weather friend; make sure to keep in loose touch not just when there’s something you need, but also when you have something to offer, even if that’s just a no-strings-attached congratulations on someone’s promotion or achievement.

DO: Network Everywhere

Yes, you should attend networking events, but elbows can be rubbed in almost any setting. In fact, making a connection outside of an event may help you stand out from the sea of hand-shakers at an organized meet-and-greet.

So next time you’re on a cross-country flight or waiting at the DMV, strike up a conversation. You never know who might be sitting right next to you. And even if it’s not a professional connection, it’s great practice for your people skills.

�ٰ��’T: Get Discouraged

We mentioned networking is a long game, and it sometimes requires patience. It’s also, to some degree, about volume. Meet as many people as often as you reasonably can. If you haven’t seen practical returns on all your networking efforts yet, hang in there. Keep at it, and keep in touch with those you’ve met so far. Someone you met a year ago might pop up in your inbox tomorrow, or someone you meet next week might be an instant click.

DO: Pay It Forward

If you’ve been offered opportunities by others, make sure you do the same when you’re in the position to do so. This applies even before you’re established; for example, let’s say one of your connections has an opportunity you’re not quite right for, but you know someone who is. Help them bot out with a referral. People in business have long memories for favors, and a reputation as a generous colleague will pay for itself.

�ٰ��’T: Lie About Your Background

Play up your experience, but don’t make up your experience. This is for your own good. As you start to network over time, your connections will begin to overlap. If you have been lying or exaggerating about past jobs or education, eventually you’ll get caught. Someone will know someone who worked at the same company or went to the same school, and you’ll be left with a broken connection and a damaged reputation.

DO: Follow Up

When a networking opportunity leads to an exchange of contact information, consider it an invitation to follow up. A follow-up is often expected, so don’t squander the opening. Reach out within a few days to reconnect and continue the conversation. Remember to keep your outreach friendly, brief, and reference what you discussed when you first met.

Now Get Yourself Out There!

The biggest “DO” in networking is, well, doing it. Now that you have your etiquette down, start making those connections. Use every channel available, from LinkedIn to networking events to Friendsgiving dinner. Be brave, be bold, stand out. And stick with it!

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Study Buddy: How to Host a Virtual Study Group

�ֻ��Ƭ — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 23:52:00 +0000

Online students, this one’s for you. But not just for you. In the age of online study “post-Covid” and the digital wonderland we all live in at least part-time, getting a group together often means firing up your computer (and for some of us, Ring lamp). We reside in a camera-ready-from-the-waist-up, pajamas-from-the-waist-down world. We study there, too.

On or offline, studying with your fellow students is a great way to get your material down, so we’ve got some online study group tips to help you increase the effectiveness of your study time and minimize technical hiccups. We’ll focus mostly on the online considerations here, but some tips apply to study groups both online and IRL.

(Make sure to also check out our post on the six steps for starting a study group, which is focused more on in-person study sessions.)

Here are the steps and tips for hosting your virtual study group:

Choose a Virtual Meeting App

You may already have a virtual meeting app (or two or three) installed. If you have a favorite that you know inside and out and you plan to be the study group emcee, ask your group-mates to download it. Let the group weigh in, but settle on one platform that everyone can install and get to know. Here are a few of the most commonly used apps to consider:

: This app is so widely adopted, it’s become a verb, like “Google.” Zoom has an intuitive interface, and odds are others already have it.
: This platform is formerly known as Google Meet and is often preferred by those already using Google for all their word processing, email, and organizational needs.
: Many companies use this, since they’re already using Microsoft Suite software. Only one member of the group needs to subscribe and it’ll work for all.

There are many more options. Do some research if none of the above appeal to you. Many apps have different features like breakout rooms and whiteboards that you may be interested in using. Some meeting apps are free, some are paid, and some have subscription tiers with a paywall to host longer meetings or use additional features. If you use a paid version specifically for your study group, you can consider asking everyone to chip in. Typically only the meeting host needs the paid version for the additional time to extend to all attendees.

Learn the App

Once you settle on a video conferencing app, get to know it. Take a tutorial, click through the menu, go spelunking. Do a dry run (maybe a good excuse for a video call with Mom?) to make sure you know how to use things like screen share and adding a co-host. You don’t want to have to try to figure it out on the fly in the middle of your online study session.

Ask your study group to do the same. Even if you’re hosting, give everyone the pre-homework of downloading (or updating) the app, learning the basics, and testing their camera and audio.

Pro tip: If you’re planning to share your screen, spend a little extra time on this feature to avoid an embarrassing mishap. If you don’t want your peers to see your open tabs or any other document you have open, make sure you know how to share a specific document and not your entire desktop. Or at least make a mental note to close out anything personal or sensitive before you open the meeting.

Set Up Your Space

You might already have a dedicated space in your home for video calls, but if not, put together an ergonomic area so all you need to do is log on when you’re ready. Here’s a quick list of what your space should include:

Wall Plug: Make sure your setup is close to a power source. Video calls drain battery, so stay plugged in to avoid a surprise shut-down or having to jump up and go plug-hunting.
Check Your Backdrop: Unless you’re planning to blur your background with the app, make sure there’s nothing distracting or inappropriate sharing the screen with you.
Find Your Light: This seems obvious, but part of the point of the video meeting is seeing each other. Make sure you have adequate light so people can make you out.
Interruption-Proof Your Space: If you can, find a room you can close yourself off in. Dogs, kids, and roommates wandering into frame might be delightful, but also a distraction.

The above concerns online study session setup, but feel free to also read our post with more tips on how to set up your personal study space for success.

Before Your First Study Session

We already covered the app setup, but here’s a to-do list for before your first group meeting. If you’re the group’s admin, you can take care of all of these tasks, but you can also ask people in the group to take on individual responsibilities.

Gather the emails of everyone in your study group.
Use the app to schedule the session (recurring or ad-hoc) and send invites.
Send out a proposed agenda at least a day in advance and invite input.
Ask everyone to check for application updates before the meeting to avoid login delays.
Disseminate any study materials everyone will be working with so others have time to download and print if they like.

Consider emailing the gang to create a thread for your group so you can easily collect requests and input about how the group will be run. Someone might have a great idea or need some kind of special accommodation. This can be an ongoing thread so you can make adjustments to your group over time.

Virtual Study Session Etiquette

Manners matter. At the beginning of your first session, set some ground rules for etiquette. In addition to the common courtesies we all know and love (be attentive, keep it civil, come prepared) there are a few additional considerations for an online meetup:

Cameras On: Ask everyone to keep their cameras on. We’re all “here” to interact, and seeing each other’s faces demonstrates you’re there and engaged. You can allow for members to shut off cameras in special circumstances or briefly if they need to.
Noises Off: Sometimes there’s background noise that can’t be helped. Kids, dogs, planes, trains, and automobiles will inevitably find their way into your study soundscape. Ask people to be mindful and mute temporarily if the noise on their end becomes intrusive.
Get Dressed: A study session is an informal gathering so you can keep it casual, but remember that you’re still in polite company. Our cheeky “pajamas-from-the-waist-down” comment aside, please do wear pants in case you need to stand up, and keep it appropriate from the waist up as well.
Minimize Cross-Talk: Live online discussions can be tricky to moderate. One good way to mitigate everyone talking over each other or having more than one conversation at a time is to limit your group size, so the conversation can be easier to control.
Take Turns: Depending on your session format, it might be helpful to have some structure around who talks and when. Try not to interrupt, and if you do, check yourself and shush. Some apps have a “hand raised” function that can keep the conversation moving in an orderly fashion.

The most important ground rule is also probably going to be the hardest to enforce: getting started. As people filter in to your session, they’ll start to check in and chat. We’re all friends here, so that’s okay, but put a time limit on it. Tell everyone you’ll be kicking off the first topic promptly ten minutes after the session starts. This will also help people be on time.

If it helps, set an actual timer for this. That way you don’t have to interrupt the lively conversation—you can outsource that to a digital noisemaker. When the buzzer goes off, whoever is mid-sentence can finish that sentence, and then it’s time to hit the books.

If you like, you can also leave the study group video call open for an extra half hour at the end, so anyone who wants to can stay and socialize. That way, members who would love to catch up can, and those who are just there to cram can sign off and get on with their day.

Miscellaneous Virtual Study Group Considerations

To wrap things up, here’s a grab bag of other considerations to help you create your virtual study group and keep it humming. You might come up with a few hacks of your own as well.

If people in your group are in different time zones, try to find a “meet in the middle” time that works for everyone, or take turns with time zones.
Open every meeting five minutes early. This gives you time to check your tech, get settled, and admire your own face until others join.
Invite the group to add questions to the chat. That way you don’t have to interrupt discussion. Monitor the chat during the meeting and before you close out, make sure everything has been addressed.
Also use the live chat function to send out any quick links or references for later. People can cut and paste them for their own use.
If it makes sense, record your study session, especially if there’s going to be discussion or exercises that might benefit a member who can’t join for whatever reason. Always ask permission before recording. (Some apps will do this for you.)
If you’re hosting, add a co-host when you open the meeting. This gives someone else shared control if you have to leave abruptly or have a technical snafu on your end.

We hope you enjoyed this edition of WCU’s Study Buddy series. Good luck with your group!

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Jobstacles: How Nurses Can Support Patient Caregivers

�ֻ��Ƭ — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 01:28:00 +0000

As a nurse or future nurse, you will interact and engage both with patients and their loved ones. Sometimes that loved one plays a major role in your patient’s well-being, in the form of a caregiver.

Caregivers tend to be the most unrecognized individuals in healthcare. They are sometimes referred to as the “invisible workforce” of care. Taking on this role requires extraordinary personal sacrifice. A family caregiver is responsible for a patient who requires continuous care between office visits and treatments. The caregiver devotes extensive time and effort to assisting, protecting, and nourishing an ill, elderly, or disabled loved one, and they deserve our highest esteem.

Most caregivers—sometimes called “informal caregivers”—are unpaid. With an , many caregivers are elders themselves. Most have little, if any, professional training and a strong emotional investment in an ailing, aging, or disabled loved one. These loving, generous people deserve appreciation, but beyond that, they desperately need support.

A caregiver’s physical and mental health has been shown to have . It is therefore incumbent upon healthcare professionals to be cognizant of the physical and psychological health of their patient’s caregiver.

In this post, we’ll explore how you as a nurse can provide essential support to the informal caregiver. Beyond the partnership you develop, how can you ensure that this individual is receiving the information, guidance, and even emotional support they need to fulfill their important role in their loved one’s health?

The first step in understanding how to support caregivers is to understand their situation, which brings us to…

Causes of Caregiver Stress

Beyond the emotional toll of caring for an aging parent or disabled family member, caregivers are subject to physical and psychological strain that can affect their health. Of the many , physical strain is the most prevalent. This is unsurprising since caregivers are often caring for patients with limited mobility, which requires frequent lifting and moving of the patient. Commitment to someone else’s care can significantly impact one’s own lifestyle and health. Common stressors and risks for caregivers include:

Anxiety
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping
Weight fluctuation
Headaches or body pain
Irritability or depressed mood
Alcohol or substance abuse
Mortality

These risk factors compound with other lifestyle challenges like maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical activity, and a social life. Other common factors that add to caregiver stress include patient behavioral issues, and in many cases, financial hardship. Caregivers may or may not have financial stability or a family support system. It’s a lot to deal with.

While you as a nurse cannot mitigate many of these factors, there are a number of things you can do to support a caregiver so they are equipped to give the best possible care to the patient while finding some life balance and self-care of their own.

The Nurse Role in Caregiver Care

As a nurse, your contact with a caregiver may be limited to a single office visit or a repeated touchpoints during ongoing care. Either way, you enter into a partnership of sorts with the individual who is looking after the patient. You are both responsible for the health and well-being of that patient.

You may meet a caregiver while they’re figuring out how to access healthcare services for the patient, during end-of-life decision-making, or at any point in between. In each of these scenarios, the relationship is strongest when there is a consistent flow of information between nurse and caregiver.

In the midst of care, this means actively dispensing any information to the caregiver on each discharge, as well as requesting any updates from them. Creating a communication-rich relationship where a caregiver feels invited to ask questions helps remove the weight of uncertainty and powerlessness. Remember that some people are intimidated by a healthcare environment and may need to be encouraged to communicate freely.

End-of-life decision-making can be very stressful on a caregiver, and they may lean on the patient’s healthcare team for clinical guidance necessary to decide “when it’s time.” This should be appropriately handled with the patient’s primary healthcare provider, but you may be a part of this conversation as well.

During all of these phases of the nurse-caregiver relationship, you should actively and freely encourage the caregiver to pursue support outside of the healthcare facility. There are abundant resources available from which they can benefit, particularly when there isn’t a strong family support system in place. These types of external support may include:

Informational resources: There are numerous resources available for those who know where to look. lists many helpful organizations and websites, and it’s a great place to start.
Positive activities: This can be any wellness or self-care activity. Caregivers need to make time for organized exercise, hobbies, or pastimes as simple as quiet reading or a nature walk.
Social support: Beyond , which can be found online or locally, caregivers should make time for friends and family, and ask for encouragement and help when they need it.

Many resources are accessible at the local level and should be relatively easy to find through online searches, but you may want to educate yourself on some of the more reputable nearby organizations so you can point a caregiver in the right direction. Remember that you should never endorse a service unless it’s a pre-approved affiliate, but you can provide guidance and a starting point for someone to find the right kind of help.

Empowering Caregivers Through Education

Many caregivers are thrown into a job they weren’t trained for. They may lack preparation or appropriate expectations for what the work will require. You probably know more than they do about what they need to succeed. A little knowledge can empower a caregiver to care more effectively for their loved one, and also avoid some of the negative personal outcomes that can accompany taking on this role.

When you meet a caregiver, don’t assume they know basic options. If they are struggling, you might offer some education on the following:

In-home respite care: This is bringing a professional nurse or caregiver into the home temporarily to provide relief to the family caregiver.
Short-term nursing homes: Some residential care facilities will accept patients for briefer stays, like when a caregiver has a vacation planned or needs a break.
Adult care centers: Many communities have facilities available where trained professionals can take over care for the day, and the patient also gets a chance to socialize.

Another educational opportunity is speaking with a caregiver about in-home equipment and assistive technology. While the patient may already be using a cane or walker, there are many products available to help with mobility and hygiene. Some are small investments that may make a big difference; others like adjustable hospital beds can be rented and may be covered by insurance or Medicaid. Here are just a few examples of products a caregiver might be unfamiliar with:

Transfer sling gait belt: This is a strappy device that is designed to help move a patient with limited mobility in and out of bed, and provides a caregiver with a more ergonomic, safe way to transfer their patent.
Reusable waterproof underpads: For patients with incontinence, there are mattress-protecting pads that can go above or below sheets, are absorbent to prevent wetness and discomfort, and easy to just wash with sheets.
Toilet risers: Add a riser to the home toilet with or without handles can make bathroom trips easier for both patient and caregiver, and they are a relatively inexpensive retrofit.

There are a host of other products and devices that can help a caregiver streamline and organize home care, from medication timers to reaching tools.

Nurse-Caregiver Boundaries

While it’s in your patient’s best interest that you engage with and educate their caregiver, it’s never your job to act as a caregiver’s therapist or absorb any of their responsibilities. It’s important that a caregiver doesn’t come to depend on you, emotionally or otherwise. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) considers it to be when a nurse-patient relationship gets confused and the nurse’s needs supersede those of the patient, even momentarily or inadvertently.

Boundary-crossing is also something to look out for in the nurse-caregiver-patient relationship. You’re there to nurse a patient, and if the caregiver’s therapeutic needs are superseding those of the patient, you should reevaluate your boundaries. Setting firm boundaries doesn’t mean you don’t care, and getting too close to a caregiver can create problems for you both.

Protecting professional boundaries requires maintenance and discipline. Nurses are compassionate by both nature and trade, and eager to help someone who is struggling. The blurring of lines can start small. If a caregiver makes a minor personal request, even seemingly in the interest of the patient, it sets a precedent that you are available for off-menu support. Instead of taking on the emotional or physical burden of the caregiver, empower them to pursue the resources they need to stay healthy and energized so they can properly care for the patient.

A good response to an inappropriate ask or interaction with a caregiver is to redirect them to a more appropriate source of aid. If, for example, a caregiver is coming to you to talk about depression or anxiety, you might suggest a support group or therapist. If they are having financial difficulties, you might encourage them to look into any state or federal programs for which they could be eligible.

Don’t be a hero. These kinds of issues are neither your responsibility nor your purview, and they should be left to their respective experts.

Showing Appreciation on National Caregivers Day

Beyond the clinical and educational support you provide your patients’ caregivers, don’t hesitate to voice appreciation and acknowledgement. Remember that in many cases, a caregiver isn’t receiving thanks for their work.

Tell a caregiver how important they are, what a great job they’re doing, and how meaningful their efforts are to the patient. Simply acknowledging someone’s sacrifice and hard work can have an enormous emotional impact.

And remember to wish them a happy National Caregivers Day every third Friday in February!

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Job Hunter: How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

�ֻ��Ƭ — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Pro tip for job seekers: Before you send out your resume, before you call your connections, before you fill out any applications, set up your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is the social network for all things career, and one of the main ports of entry to the business world, so treat it like your first impression.

For many potential employers, LinkedIn is where they look you up right after viewing your resume. In fact in one survey, cited LinkedIn as their preferred online talent sourcing hub. So even if social media isn’t your thing, make an exception for LinkedIn if you’re serious about finding a job.

LinkedIn’s oversized market share in professional online networking is actually good news, because it creates one central hub where you can set up and maintain a profile easily. The app also gives you a lot of control over your professional online presence, from what you choose to share and whom you want to connect with.

So what should a LinkedIn profile include? In this post, we’ll go through the basics and then look at some LinkedIn best practices. Let’s start with getting set up.

What to Include in Your LinkedIn Profile

When you create a LinkedIn account, the app will walk you through the basic profile setup, so this should be pretty intuitive. It’s best to complete your profile before you make it public. LinkedIn’s own research shows that users with completed profiles including a are to get opportunities through LinkedIn. So, fill in all your info (this includes your photo) before you publish.

You’ll be asked to submit your name, pronouns (optional), a headline that sums up what you do, current position, industry and education. Most schools and large companies have their own LinkedIn presence, so you’ll start seeing fellow alumni and current or former coworkers pop up as recommendations.

You’ll also be asked for your contact information. People will be able to contact you through LinkedIn, so you don’t have to share your phone number or messaging app handles directly if you’d rather not. This is also where you’ll see your personal LinkedIn URL, which employers will often request.

The Strategic Art of LinkedIn Profile Writing

Writing your LinkedIn profile is equal parts art and science. You want your words to be clear, concise, intelligent, and optimized for LinkedIn’s search algorithm.

Unlike other social networks, you want to keep your LinkedIn profile very professional. It doesn’t mean you can’t have any personality in your profile, but it does reflect how you draft language and interact with others. This also depends somewhat on your line of work.

One way to put it in perspective is to think about how you would dress for the job you want, and how that might translate into how you write your profile. For example, if you’re looking for a job at a financial firm where you would wear business-professional attire, keep your tone and details more conservative and ultra-professional. If, by contrast, you’re a brand marketer seeking to join a creative team at a startup where everyone wears jeans and hoodies, a more writerly tone might make sense.

In general, no matter your industry, don’t get too cheeky. While this might appeal to a recruiter or hiring manager here and there, it’s likely to be a turn-off to some, or make you seem like an unserious candidate. Stay straightforward and find subtle ways to make your language shine. Speaking of language…

Use Search-Friendly Language

All the SAT words in the universe aren’t going to do your profile any favors if you haven’t used language that LinkedIn’s algorithm is designed to find. So you should use words that help it find you. Keywords are key!

Before you get fancy, make sure you’re using familiar titles for your roles. Make your headline an industry-standard job title or description that represents the work you do or want to do. So, for example:

DO: Marketing Data Analyst

�ٰ��’T: Upbeat Marketing Data Guru

You’ll also want to use specific words that might help you come up in a refined search (e.g., “fashion,” “social media,” “SEO”). This includes adding five or more skills. According to LinkedIn’s own research data, . So get your skills and search words in there first, and then you can go back and insert words like “indefatigable” if you must.

Pro tip: If you need inspiration for your keywords, or you’re just looking to come up in the searches of particular recruiters, find a few job postings for positions that you would want to match with. Make sure the skills highlighted in the description are included in your own profile (as long as you actually have these skills!), and then browse the posting for recurring words that you might want to add to your summary or job history.

Don’t Wax Poetical

Speaking of word choice, one of the hallmarks of great writing is economy of words. This doesn’t mean boring words, but it does mean removing extraneous ones. Recruiters are going to skim for the highlights; don’t make them pull out their thesaurus.

Once you’ve finished writing, go back through and see how many editorial adjectives you’ve used and get rid of most of them. The recruiter wants information, not an ode to your achievements. A well-placed adjective where you’re describing yourself is a great opportunity to show some personality, but they’ll stand out more if you haven’t overdone it elsewhere.

Synonyms Are Your Friend

The above notwithstanding, flexing your vocabulary in a restrained way is a very good thing. Going through resumes can be tedious, particularly when applicants rely on the same words over and over again. Words and phrases like “experienced” and “deadline-oriented” get pretty stale for recruiters reviewing profile after profile.

So, instead of describing yourself as creative, say you’re a “blue-sky thinker”; instead of “independent,” say you’re “self-directed.” Below is a in resumes. We’ve provided alternatives, but get creative (blue sky?) with your own:

OVERUSED	ALTERNATIVE
Motivated	Keen
Creative	Enterprising
Enthusiastic	Fanatical
Track Record	Achievement
Passionate	Avid
Successful	Accomplished
Driven	Determined
Leadership	Supervisory
Strategic	Forward-thinking
Extensive Experience	Fluency

Your LinkedIn Profile Picture and Background Image

If you’re wondering whether you should upload a profile picture, the short answer is yes. Everyone likes to attach a face to a name, and showcasing yourself in this way personalizes you to whomever is taking a look. Plus, profiles with photos get than those without.

That said—this might seem obvious but it bears repeating—choose (or take) a nice, professional photo of yourself. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a corporate headshot (though if you’re at an executive level, that’s probably best). However, it should be a good, clear picture with a background that is not too distracting.

Make sure you’re in color, fully clothed, that your face is taking up most of the frame, and you’re wearing a friendly expression. No selfies, full-body shots or group shots.

Lastly—and this becomes important in the event you’re asked to interview in person or over Zoom—make sure your profile picture is recent and genuinely resembles you. Showing up to an interview looking like an entirely different person isn’t the best, well, look.

When choosing a background banner (the image across the top and behind your profile pic), look for something that either showcases your industry or lends your page a little bit of your vibe. It might be more difficult to find something you can use in your personal photos, because of the shape of the banner. Instead, do an image search and choose a landscape or skyscape of where you live or have traveled, look for an image that represents your industry of choice, or choose something else entirely. Just use good judgment.

Next Steps…

You’ve completed your profile, optimized your language, and uploaded a little imagery. You’ve given recruiters a polished, LinkedIn-optimized preview of you as a business professional. What’s next?

Once you’re set up, LinkedIn will start doing its thing, suggesting connections based on your school and work history, and suggesting you to others. You’ll be able to search and apply for jobs, and you may even get some incoming requests from recruiters.

Stay engaged. Now that you’ve joined the Internet’s equivalent of the job seeker’s town square, keep your profile up to date and begin networking and engaging with fellow members, recruiters, classmates, friends, and coworkers past and future.

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Job Hunter: How to Ace Your Nurse Job Interview

�ֻ��Ƭ — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 17:38:00 +0000

You’ve graduated school, passed your certifications, and may already have work experience. You’re qualified. Now, you need to convince someone else not only of your qualifications, but that you’re the best candidate for the nursing position.

Nursing jobs are competitive, but if you’ve already put your best foot forward with your nursing resume and cover letter, eventually you’ll start getting some calls.

In this post we’ll talk about interview preparation, the five types of interviews to consider, and common nurse job interview questions with strategies on how to answer them. We’ll also talk about what not to do in your nurse job interview, as well as follow-up etiquette.

Let’s start with preparation:

Nurse Job Interview Prep

In the days leading up to your interview, the best thing you can do is get prepared. This means doing your research, compiling your materials, and practicing for the conversation.

1. Plan Ahead

Getting ahead isn’t just a smart way to stay organized—it also helps minimize stress on the day of the interview. Be almost ready to walk out the door at least a day in advance. Here’s what you can do ahead of time:

Look up the location (unless you’re interviewing by phone or video). If you’ll be visiting a large facility, make sure you locate the building and office number, and plan for traffic and parking.
Pick out the clothing you plan to wear, and make sure it fits well, and is clean and free of stains or wrinkles.
Print out a few extra copies of your interview portfolio to have on hand.
Revisit the original job posting and the person or people with whom you’ll be meeting.
Schedule yourself for a good night’s sleep the night before.

2. Do Your Research

Showing up with knowledge about the job, the organization, and the department will demonstrate that you take the opportunity seriously. You might even want to dig a little deeper into the history or current endeavors at the company or facility. This will give you something to ask questions about when it’s your turn. Here are some common research questions to prepare in advance:

What is the company or organization?
Is the facility private? State-run? Teaching? Religiously affiliated?
Is it a large company or a smaller operation?
Who runs it and who founded it?
What is the organization famous for, if anything?
With whom are you meeting, and what’s their position?
What can you find out about the department you’re interviewing for?

Use every avenue available to you: the company’s social media and LinkedIn presence, word of mouth, the organization’s website, press coverage, and even salary sites. Once you’ve done your research, think about which of your findings are of particular interest to you. That way you can speak to why you find this job appealing and a good fit for your goals.

3. Think About Presentation

This might seem obvious, but it’s important. Dressing and conducting yourself professionally is a baseline expectation for any prospective employee. Don’t wear scrubs or a lab jacket to your interview; do show up put together and polished, and make sure you tick all the boxes:

Choose business-professional attire (i.e., black, navy or gray suit; closed-toed shoes; etc.).
Wear something well-fitting, washed, and in good condition.
Make sure your nails and hair are clean and groomed.
Practice straight posture and approachable body language from the moment you enter the building.
Make eye contact and offer a firm (but not crushing) handshake.

When in doubt, err on the side of a more traditional appearance. Remember that an interview is about showcasing your experience, poise, and preparation, so leave your more splashy personal flair at home.

4. Practice the STAR Method

The STAR Method is a structural manner of responding to a behavioral-based question (such as “How would you handle a situation where [XYZ]?”). The acronym stands for:

Specific situation
Task
Action
Result

If you follow this formula in answering some of the more in-depth questions that may come up in your interview, you’ll be able to avoid rambling or getting caught with a partial or vague answer. Speak through your response to each question in the STAR order. It will help you give a complete, organized response.

5. Prepare Your Interview Portfolio

Always have a few extra copies of your interview portfolio printed out and on hand, in case your interviewer requests them. Your interview portfolio should include the following:

Cover letter
Resume
Professional certifications
Licensures
Transcripts
References sheet

Some of the above may not apply to you. Bring what is relevant and make sure it’s typed up and printed in matching fonts and styles on the same type of paper. Carry a pen and notepad in your portfolio in case you need it. If you are a WCU student and don’t already have an interview portfolio, reach out to Career Services and they can help you compile one.

5 Types of Interviews

1. The Pre-Screen Phone Interview

Before we get into tips and techniques for the traditional, main interview, let’s quickly talk about the pre-screen, or phone interview. It’s likely, particularly for a larger organization, that you’ll first be asked to speak to a recruiter or an in-house human resources officer before you’re selected for the main interview phase. This interview is usually quick, and its purpose is to cull the list of candidates whose resumes show promise.

Here are some tips to help you prepare:

Choose a quiet environment where you have excellent cell service.
Be prepared to answer common questions and be familiar with the company and its website.
Smile, even though you can’t be seen. , including to the listener.
Be sure to listen actively and take notes during the interview.
End the call with a thank you, and ask about next steps.
Follow up with a courtesy thank you email to your interviewer.

The objective of the pre-screen phone is largely practical, so be ready to respond to logistical questions about your availability to start, salary expectations, current employment status, and clinical experience.

You may also be asked a few more personal questions regarding your goals or to describe your requirements for the ideal position. Stay in the game by being ready with these details, and be concise and amiable in your answers. The pre-screener often will not have a lot of detail about the position and department you’re interviewing for, so you may need to hold some of your more in-depth questions for the next round.

2. The Traditional Interview

Okay! You made it through the pre-screen. Now you are faced with a fresh set of anxieties with the in-person nurse job interview.

This is your chance to make a first impression on a decision-maker, so take your presentation seriously. Preparation, professionalism, and a little bit of chemistry could put you at the top of the candidate pile.

Once you’re called in, if you haven’t been greeted by name, introduce yourself and thank the interviewer for seeing you. If you’re not sure how to pronounce the interviewer’s name, don’t guess, ask. Once any small talk is over, your interview will start to ask questions (for more on nurse interview questions, please skip ahead to the section below).

If you’ve done a rotation at this particular organization or facility, your interviewer will probably already be aware. Bring it up anyway. It’ll give you both something to discuss and will reinforce your fitness for the job if you’ve already been a part of their ecosystem.

After your interviewer has finished with questions, you’ll be asked if you have any questions, time permitting. This is another opportunity to come prepared. (See the questions section below.)

If you’re interviewing with another nurse, ask about their specific experience. Instead of “Do you like it here?” ask “What is it that you like most about working here?” or “What’s been your biggest challenge working here?”

Include questions that show you’ve done your homework. For example, if the facility is equipped with special technology, ask about that, or inquire about how new nurses are onboarded.

When the time comes to wrap up, don’t linger. Thank the interviewer again and reiterate your enthusiasm for the position and organization. Request their business card and ask about next steps.

3. The Panel Interview

The panel view is just what it sounds like: an interview with multiple people at once. Most of the same rules of presentation and preparation for the traditional interview apply here as well, but there are a few additional things you can do before you walk into the room to be ready:

Ask for the names and roles of the panelists in advance, if you can.
Be sure to make eye contact and connect with each interviewer so none of the panelists feels left out.
Ask for everyone’s business cards so you can send individual thank you emails.

4. The Virtual Interview

Nowadays, largely because of COVID-19, many interviews are conducted remotely with video technology, and this is becoming a new normal. This also happens when the interviewers are in different locations. Again, your preparation is similar to that for a traditional or panel interview (and some virtual interviews are panel interviews as well), but there is some additional setup required:

Make sure you have downloaded and tested whatever video software is being used for the interview.
Be sure your internet connection is reliable and you know how to log in.
Set up the space you’ll be seen in. Arrange a clean area with a background that isn’t inappropriate or distracting.
Position yourself where there is good lighting so you’ll be easily seen over video.
Wear the same professional attire you would for an in-person interview.
Arrange for a quiet space in which to conduct your interview.

5. The Working Interview

While more uncommon, a working interview is sometimes scheduled for professions where the supervisor may want to see your work in action. In this kind of interview you’ll be expected to perform job duties alongside or in front of the person who is interviewing you.

Because this type of interview is so different from the others, you’ll approach your preparation somewhat differently. Since you’ll be actively working, you should ask the person setting up the interview whether it is paid or not, and if it is, what the wage, hours, and expectations are. Ask for this information upfront.

Typically after this kind of interview, you’ll receive feedback and have a conversation about whether you’ll be a good fit for this team. You may be expected to share your feelings about accepting or declining the job at this time as well.

Please note: This is the one type of interview where you may observe a different dress code. If you’re expected to show up ready to work, dress accordingly.

Nurse Job Interview Questions

This part of the interview is probably the least predictable, but there is a lot you can anticipate. Some questions are almost inevitable, and you can prepare your answers in advance. We’ve provided some additional questions that may be trickier, requiring you to think on your feet. The more time you spend considering your responses to possible questions, the more relaxed you’ll be.

Let’s start with preparation for the standard questions:

Take a Self-Inventory

The interview is about you, and you should be prepared to talk quite a bit about yourself, as it pertains to the job. The best way to prepare for this is to consider your “why.” Think about the following:

Why did you want to become a nurse?
Why should you be hired?
Why do you want to work for this company?
Why do you feel you’ll be a good fit for the organization?

You may be asked these questions directly or they may be implied through other parts of the interview. Either way, these are important things for the interviewer to know about you, so make sure you’ve articulated them for yourself first.

Standard Interview Questions

There are a few questions you’re almost guaranteed to be asked, in some form. There’s no excuse not to have your answers ready for these, so have them down pat. We have provided the most-likely-to-be-asked questions below, as well as some guidance on how to respond.

Tell me about yourself.

This might sound general, but the interviewer really is asking you to summarize your background as it’s relevant to this position. Talk about your work, school, and volunteer experience. Do not talk about your children, your religion, or anything personal.

Why are you interested in joining our organization?

This is where your research of the company’s website and social media or press articles come into play. Talk about their mission and values and how it aligns with your own values, and anything you came across that sparked your interest and desire to work there.

What has been your greatest challenge with a customer or patient? What did you do to resolve it, or what was the outcome?

Share a story from a clinical rotation, work, or volunteer experience where you encountered a difficult patient or customer and how you overcame the situation. This question is an opportunity to use the STAR method in your response.

Describe your skills as a team player.

Share your willingness to assist your team. In the nursing profession, this is a key component of the job. Make it clear that you’re dedicated to team initiatives as well as the larger goals of the organization. Try to share a specific situation where you helped a coworker or adapted quickly to come in and assist.

Additional Sample Nurse Interview Questions:

The above questions are all but guaranteed. Below we’ve provided some additional questions that may or may not come up. Some of them are a little more complex, so it’s good to have an answer ready. The most important thing is to keep your answers positive. Never badmouth an old job or boss, as this will seem unprofessional and may turn off your interviewer.

Why are you leaving your current position or looking for a change?
What are your weaknesses?
Can you describe a particular nursing experience that you’re proud of?
What about one you would do differently?
How would you handle a situation where you disagreed with a supervisor or colleague?
How do you hope to grow in this position and what are your long-term career goals?
How has your experience so far informed your approach to nursing?

These are just some of the questions you might encounter, so you should also contact Career Services to request worksheets and set up a mock interview to help you prepare and rehearse.

Ask Your Own Questions

It’s equally vital that you have three to five questions prepared that you would like to ask the interviewer. Remember that this is a two-way conversation and you’re there to learn as much about them as they are you.

Here are some example questions that you can ask that might help you gain insight into the job:

What does success at the company look like? How do you measure it?

Asking this question reinforces your interest in the opportunity. It also shows you’re already thinking ahead about how you can excel in this role.

What are the day-to-day responsibilities?

You’ll want to know what will be expected of you daily if an offer is extended. What’s a day in the life at this organization?

Are the opportunities for professional development and career growth?

This is a good question to ask both for your information and to show that you’re interested in growing with the organization. Hiring a new employee is an investment, and companies like to find people they expect to stick around.

What are the next steps of the interview process?

Based on the answer to this question, you’ll have a better idea of whether there will be additional rounds of interviews and how best to follow up.

Your Closing Statement

When the time comes to wrap up, don’t linger. Practice how you’ll end your side of the interview. Your closing statement should sum up your interest in the job and your confidence that you can do it well. Use the below as a template in coming up with your closing statement:

“Thank you for making time to interview me for this role. I know my experience and accomplishments can provide value. I am thrilled about the prospect of working in this position and being part of a highly reputable team.”

Write and memorize your own version of the above, in your words. This is your last chance to leave an impression on your interviewer, so keep it courteous, professional, and warm. And don’t forget to request a business card before you leave.

Thank You Notes

Within 24 hours after your interview, it’s essential to follow up with a simple thank you, by email or physical letter. This is not just a courtesy–some employers may think less of candidates who fail to follow up promptly.

The purpose of a thank you letter is to restate:

What job you interviewed for
Why you want the job
What your qualifications are
How you might contribute

Be sure to thank the person with whom you met again for their time and the opportunity to be considered. If you can, try to include something specific that came up in conversation so it’s clear you took the information home with you, and offer to send anything additional upon request.

If you follow all of the tips above and come to your interview prepared and polished, you’ll be well-positioned to get a nursing job offer. Remember, a great nursing position will get a lot of qualified applicants, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the response you want right away. Put your best foot forward every time and treat each appointment as an opportunity to hone your nurse job interview skills.

And don’t forget to engage WCU Career Services to take advantage of interview prep resources. Career Services can help you craft your compile your interview portfolio, provide you with preparation sheets, and conduct a mock interview. We’re here to help you make a great impression that will help you obtain a new position.

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Jobstacles: How to Communicate with Patients’ Families on Your Nursing Shift

�ֻ��Ƭ — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 12:47:00 +0000

As a nurse, you’re not only there to treat your patients, but as the conduit of information to their families. A patient’s family relies on you to keep them abreast of their loved one’s condition, but this part of your job isn’t always easy.

Sometimes families are distraught, emotions are high, the prognosis isn’t good, or there are difficult decisions to be made. These situations can make communication challenging and delicate. But nurses are renowned for their empathy, and this is where you put your compassion to purpose. These are the moments when you provide a different, but in many ways equally important, kind of care: communication.

You’re the expert in the room when it comes to your patient’s biology, but remember you may not be the expert when it comes to their history, perspective, or many other life circumstances. Letting the family into the conversation will not only help you better relate to your patient–it may also uncover crucial information the patient hasn’t shared, either because they didn’t think to, didn’t want to, or are incapacitated.

Here are some good guidelines to keep lines of communications open without crossing lines you shouldn’t. Let’s start with some basic practices to get off on the right foot with your patient’s family:

Family Communication Table Setting

Your relationship with a patient’s family starts the first time you’re all in one room, so use this opportunity to make a connection and a warm impression. This starts with a few very simple that might seem obvious but may be missed in the dealings of your shift:

Make eye contact.
Introduce yourself and your role.
Introduce any other hospital staff in your company.
Ask family to introduce themselves and their relationship to the patient. If you can’t remember this information easily, write it down.
Invite family members to write questions on the white board (if available) for clinicians.

Through these simple introductory acts, you establish trust, create a baseline for communication, and put the family at ease. To them, you’re the gatekeeper for information and action. Let them know the gate is open.

Practice Active Communication

When speaking with family members, whether the patient is present or not, be active about communicating. Communicating means actively initiating conversation and also facilitating an open and ongoing discussion. There are a few practical ways to accomplish this.

The first is to try to ask open-ended questions. Instead of a question that can be answered with a “yes” or “no,” phrase your questions to leave room for a longer answer. This can be particularly helpful when asking about a patient’s history as might be relevant to their current condition.

You should also be actively forthcoming with the information you give. Patients are eager for updates – offer them in a timely fashion when you can. Remember that relief from uncertainty is a form of kindness, even when the news is difficult.

Important Note: As you communicate with patients’ families, be sure to remain in compliance with HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Never disclose anything that falls under HIPAA protection to family, either in front of the patient or in private conversation, without the patient’s consent.

Empathetic Communication Skills

Empathy is a word that is thrown around often and at times incorrectly – but in this case, let’s stick to the . Empathy means imagining or attempting to understand someone else’s experience as if it were your own; it means identifying with your patient and their families. Even though it sounds conceptual, there are real ways you can apply empathy to your discussions with a patient’s family:

Try to put yourself in the family’s shoes and understand their experience.
Look for similarities in your perspectives when there’s a difference of opinion.
Acknowledge the family’s feelings, and make sure they feel “heard.”
Avoid medical language that is difficult to understand; speak in layman’s terms.
Give complete information and be ready to break it down further if asked.
Be a good listener, and respond to all reasonable family requests with action.
Try to help family members articulate their questions and concerns.

When you exhibit empathy to a family, you create an implicit sense of trust. Following up on a conversation, either with additional information or action, will demonstrate that your respect and concern for a family continues beyond the conversation. And if you’re unable to fulfill a family member’s request, explain the rationale and what action will be taken instead.

Perform Bedside Shift Reports

Although not universally adopted, at least not yet, many in healthcare are advocating for a bedside handoff during nurse-to-nurse shift change. (Read our post about nurse shift changes for more on this.) Not only is this practice proven to improve the accuracy of the information exchange between nurses, but including the patient and their family helps keep everyone informed and gives others the opportunity to ask questions. You might even find out something new during this exercise.

Take the opportunity during the bedside report to introduce the incoming nurse, if they haven’t met the family yet. Then exchange the patient information at the bedside, within earshot of the patient and, if the patient has indicated it’s their wish, the family. Allow for interruptions and questions from family members during the handoff.

One showed that implementation of the bedside report increases both patient safety and patient and nurse satisfaction. When performing a bedside report, always be sure to safeguard HIPAA guidelines. Check with your patient about who they want in the room, and ask family to step outside as needed.

In the Event of an Angry Confrontation…

is a skill – some would say an art form. So, we’ll spend a little more time talking about why relative outbursts happen, how to deal with them, and equally important, how not to deal with them.

Healthcare facilities are hotbeds of emotion. The stakes are often very high, medically, and many patients and families are living in a place of fear. Sometimes this fear turns to anger. And sometimes that anger will be directed at you. This is unpleasant, possibly alarming, often unfair, and can be upsetting for you – except you can’t allow yourself to become upset.

First of all, there may be ways to head an outburst off at the pass, just by being observant and watching for early signs of agitation in body language. If a patient’s family member becomes agitated, you might notice early signs. Common body language for someone who is unsettled include fidgeting, a clenched jaw, furrowed brows, or curt speech. If you notice these things, a simple “just checking in to see how you’re doing,” or “is everyone comfortable?” is a proactive way to offer someone a chance to voice an issue before it bubbles over.

Of course, you’re very busy so watching for subtle signs might not always fit into your schedule, and you may not notice someone becoming upset until it’s too late. The first thing to do when a patient’s family member loses their temper is stop what you’re doing. When an aggrieved person sees you continuing to go about your business, they may feel ignored, which could escalate their anger. If the person is yelling, you may interject and calmly ask them to lower their voice – you’re listening.

Then do just that. Listen patiently. Let them say whatever they have to say, even if it takes a while. Don’t just passively stand – maintain eye contact and remember what they’re saying, because you’ll want to repeat some of it back to them afterward. Consider that the person yelling at you is more afraid than angry, and likely acting out due to feelings of powerlessness and panic.

Once they have stopped and are expecting an answer, be sure to respond calmly, with respect and empathy. Don’t allow someone else’s anger to manipulate you into becoming defensive or angry in return. Tell them that you understand they must be upset, and that you can see their point. Use the person’s name in addressing them, and paraphrase their own concern back to them so they know you heard what they had to say. In most cases, this will be enough to get you both back into the same calm headspace to figure out what’s next.

How you resolve the actual situation beyond the confrontation depends on what’s upsetting the family member. If it’s reasonable and something you can take action to resolve, then do so. Often, it’s waiting that upsets a family. Explain what’s taking so long, if you can, and see if there’s a way to shorten a waiting period, or at least offer a realistic expectation of timing. Maybe their loved one is in a lot of pain and they don’t see anyone addressing it. Or, if the family has strong feelings or concerns about a treatment, try to arrange for the doctor or clinician to visit the room to hear their concerns and explain the courses of action being taken.

The worst-case scenario is that the situation gets out of control, and a relative or friend of the patient becomes verbally abusive or threatens you physically. This is what security is for. If you feel in any danger whatsoever, separate yourself from the situation and have the person removed.

Some Things to Keep in Mind…

First, in dealing with a patient’s family, whether there are difficulties or not, it’s important to always keep a few things front of mind. In prioritizing inclusion and collaboration with a family, remember that HIPAA comes first. As mentioned above, you should never share sensitive patient information to family members without first getting the patient’s consent.

Second, when a family member is emotional, or even just demanding, do what you can to help, but safeguard your time as well. It might become apparent to someone that when they make your job more difficult, they get what they want. If the requests are within reason, you should accommodate, but you can’t ethically prioritize one patient over another. Don’t allow yourself to be manipulated into a situation where a family is trying to monopolize you.

Finally, and importantly, always document any significant interaction with a family member soon after the fact, so you have a record of the exchange. This can be helpful for you to keep track of things, but in some cases, it might be necessary for you to have for purposes of liability.

As with anything, dealing with your patients’ families and relatives becomes easier the more you do it. Rely on your soft skills as a nurse and a few hard rules, and you’ll be fine.

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Effective Dispersed Communication: Availabilities and Avenues

�ֻ��Ƭ — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

By Abigail G. Scheg, PhD, MBA

I have had the opportunity to work remotely at multiple organizations full-time for more than ten years. Across these years, my roles have had different levels of engagement and communication within and among the organizations I served. For instance, in the early days, I held part-time faculty roles where I never heard from anyone at the university. There was the organization where I clocked in and out at a set schedule and even though it was remote, it held the expectations of in-person availability.

The experiences were varied, as were the scopes of my role, but I have experienced some significant learnings about effective communication at work worth sharing. in a dispersed organization begins long before we begin writing or speaking– it is woven into the planning and scaffolding of our teams. Let’s take a walk through some of the high-level effective communication considerations that occur well before we begin writing a message:

Set Boundaries

My experience has shown that remote workers generally do not know how or why to on their availability. I am entirely guilty of working well beyond “work hours,” adding work to my personal cell phone, and feeling that I needed to be available 24/7.

In my years of working virtually, I have shaped my boundaries. My biggest boundary is that I no longer have work-related communications on my personal cell phone, primarily email. Though it may take a while, remote workers need to be encouraged to explore and set their own boundaries in alignment with organizational boundaries.

Example of setting boundaries at work: I will only be available from 9am-5pm in my time zone.

Communicate Availability

While this may sound simple, accurately communicating one’s availability in a virtual work environment proves difficult for many. Once boundaries are established, we need to share out what that boundary shape looks like. This is not to allow micromanagement of time, but rather, to communicate availability or lack thereof. This information should not spark judgement; rather, should just be considered a statement of fact.

Example of setting availability: I am open for meetings from 10am-2pm and every day I am out of office from 2-2:30pm to pick up my children from school.

Establish Avenues

How an organization wants to share information is a key component of communication that requires thoughtful consideration. Consider the ramifications of ineffective . This manifests in ways like: meetings that should have been emails, emails with impossible-to-navigate Reply All threads, and missed information.

Example of establishing avenues: Meetings are for concepts that require back and forth dialogue. Emails are for important communications that require an acknowledgement. Chat is for quick check-ins and questions.

When you see a communication opportunity in your organization, consider how to address it. Where is the gap: boundaries, availabilities, avenues, or across multiple components? Consider how you can define effective organizational strategies, incorporate them into the culture, and socialize shared expectations. Starting here paves the way for team communication to become streamlined and allows the focus to be on content and accomplishing goals.

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Dr. Abigail G. Scheg currently serves as the People & Culture Manager for . She has served as a people leader across multiple organizations and industries and enjoys supporting the development and maintenance of virtual communities. Dr. Scheg serves on the Program Advisory Committee for the Business Administration programs at �ֻ��Ƭ.

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