Fundamentals Of Nursing I

Review the following scenario and answer the questions.

The nurse is assigned to provide care for an elderly man who wears cochlear implants and speaks Spanish as his primary language, although he considers himself able to speak English “well.” The nurse is fluent in Spanish and English. During the client admission interview, the man tends to get off topic and tell stories about his family. The client occasionally mentions frustrations with the physician he has been seeing because the physician speaks quickly in English, making it difficult to understand his condition. The nurse is working to provide care for the client which includes preparation for a procedure and medication education during the care period.

Respond to the following questions and provide rationale for your answers:

What potential communication challenges does the client in the scenario demonstrate? 

Compare and contrast how language differences and sensory deficits impact communication.

Which language should the nurse use to communicate with the client? Explain your choice of language.

Which phase of the nurse-client relationship according to Peplau’s Theory of Interpersonal Relationships do you feel the scenario reflects? Identify the characteristics of the nurse-client relationship that led you to choose the phase.

Which therapeutic communication technique should the nurse apply when the client begins getting off topic and telling stories about his family?

Based on the CLAS standards, should the nurse continue to communicate with the client or locate a translator? Explain your answer.