Nursing Communication and Ethics Quiz

Ethics in Communication and Nurse-Patient Relationship

• Ethics in communication focuses on what is considered right or good for individuals and society.
• The American Nurses Association (ANA) code of ethics provides a foundation for professional nursing, promoting accountability, responsibility, advocacy, and confidentiality.
• Key principles in health care ethics include autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and fidelity.
• Values clarification, understanding personal values and those of others, is crucial for ethical decision-making.
• Ethical dilemmas arise from conflicting values, changing professional roles, technological advancements, and social influences.

Basic Terms in Health Ethics

• Autonomy: In healthcare, patients have the right to make decisions about their care, including the right to refuse treatment.
• Beneficence: Healthcare professionals have a responsibility to act in the best interests of patients, promoting their well-being.
• Non-maleficence: Along with beneficence, professionals are equally committed to avoiding harm.
• Justice: Access to healthcare resources (e.g., insurance, locations, and services) and equitable distribution of these resources.
• Fidelity: Keeping promises and commitments to patients, maintaining truthfulness and reliability.

Professional Nursing Code of Ethics

• Codes of ethics guide professionals in making appropriate decisions.
• Codes of ethics serve as guidelines to determine correct practice.
• ANA updates its code regularly to reflect changes in nursing practice.

Advocacy and Responsibility

• Nurses should be advocates for their patients by ensuring their needs, especially pain relief, are addressed.
• Nurses have a responsibility to administer the correct medication, in the right dose, at the appropriate time to patients.

Accountability and Confidentiality

• Nurses should take responsibility for their actions and promptly correct any mistakes.
• Personal information about patients must be confidential and not shared inappropriately.

Values

• Individual values are shaped by culture and social influences; they change over time.
• Ethical dilemmas often involve conflicting values and opinions.
• Values clarification helps individuals understand their own and others' values, enabling more respectful and effective communication.

Nursing Point of View

• Nurses interact with patients longer than other disciplines, often learning about their fears, coping mechanisms, family details, and personal preferences during care.

Processing an Ethical Dilemma

• Ethical dilemmas are situations where there is no easy or obvious solution, causing distress for patient and caregivers.
• Resolving an ethical dilemma follows a similar process to the nursing process.

Issues in Healthcare Ethics

• Quality of life is central to decisions about futile care, end-of-life issues, and treatments like assisted suicide and DNR (do not resuscitate) orders.
• Ethical issues arise with genetic screening as it can reveal future conditions before the legal time for abortion, and it raises questions about family history.

Communication and Nursing Practice

• Communication is vital in patient-centered care and ensures continuity of care during transitions between caregivers.
• Communication errors and misunderstandings are prevalent, threatening patient safety. Effective team communication is crucial.

Developing Communication Skills

• Effective communication involves understanding verbal and nonverbal communication.
• Consideration of individual factors like culture and education, plus the use of multiple communication channels, improves communication.
• Effective communication should be simple, brief, and direct.

Levels of Communication

• Interpersonal: Direct one-on-one interaction.
• Small Group: Interactions within groups or committees.
• Public: Interaction with larger audiences, possibly about health topics, or with colleagues.

Basic Elements of the Communication Process

• Sender and Receiver: The sender delivers and encodes the message, the receiver decodes and interprets it.
• Channel: The medium of communication (e.g., spoken word, written notes).
• Message: Content and emotional tone.
• Referent: The stimulus or context that initiates communication.
• Feedback: Shows whether the receiver comprehended the message.
• Environment: The physical and emotional context.

Forms of Communication - Verbal

• Vocabulary: Using clear and understandable language is crucial (avoid medical jargon unless needed).
• Denotative/Connotative Meaning: Words have explicit (denotative) and subjective (connotative) meanings; nurses should avoid misinterpretations.
• Pacing and Tone: Appropriate speech rate, intonation, and pauses are vital, especially for children/elderly and vulnerable patients.

Forms of Communication - Nonverbal

• Personal Appearance: Professional and well-groomed appearance is critical, as first impressions are significant.
• Facial Expression: Facial expressions convey emotions and should be carefully monitored in interactions.
• Eye Contact: Establishing eye contact can show respect and equality in a relationship (cultural sensitivity is needed).

Nurse-Health Care Team Relationships

• Effective teamwork involves communication and mutual respect to ensure patient safety.
• Proper language choice and communication clarity between team members are vital.
• Avoid lateral violence (negative or harmful behaviors between colleagues), and promote a work environment of mutual respect.

Elements of Professional Communication

• Courtesy and Kindness: Politeness with patients, teamwork, and respect for all involved are necessary prerequisites to professionalism.
• Use of Names: Correct use of names and respectful terms are important for professional and effective patient-centred communication.