Archive for March 12th, 2010

Posted on March 12, 2010 - by Nurse Virginia

FAMILY MEMBERS OBSERVATIONS NOT ALWAYS WELCOMED BY NURSING HOME STAFF

Family members aren’t always the recognized authorities on their loved one’s condition. Yet they are an invaluable resource for the nursing staff. Family and friends have that one-on-one time, usually for hours, that the facility staff isn’t able to provide. The best time for the staff to catch a change in condition is when they assist an elder to get up for the day or help her get into bed.

However, that is when problems occur because the staff member may:

Not be the usual caregiver

Be a caregiver who’s not perceptive

Be the caregiver who sees a change but assumes that “everyone already knows”

Be someone with poor communication skills

Be a new nursing assistant or one with little experience

Such a situation places responsibility on the front-line workers who have the least amount of education. Such workers may think of their job primarily in terms of the tasks they have to accomplish. When asked, they usually have the information, but didn’t realize they needed to pass it on to the nurse.

That isn’t an uncommon problem, and questions naturally arise. For what should the family watch and listen? What is the most effective way to communicate observations without seeming confrontational or judgmental?

Book excerpt from: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance

Virginia Garberding, R.N.

Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois

Author: Please Get To Know Me – Aging with Dignity and Relevance

www.pleasegettoknowme.com