PROBLEMS WITH COMMUNICATION

Reflection on practice : Adapting a little compassion in communication skills

Date : May 17 , 2008

The patient in this case was a very depressed lady who is still grieving the loss of her husband . Her husband died a few months ago and she acts like a big part inside her died with him too . She lost her smile when she lost her inspiration . All of that loving was gone and she felt weakness , was unresponsive and manifested a to even the things she used to enjoy . One of the products of severe depression

she suffers is ignoring self leading to neglect of personal hygiene . Her uncaring attitude is exhibited more by her inability to make decisions for herself . The other nurses were not getting any cooperation from her regarding her personal hygiene so they asked me to try ways to make it work . I tried some verbal , listening and social skills and it worked

of the experience

The big question I am facing here is how to bring the living dead back to life again ? Give her life and you 'll cure her depression . Make her smile once again and she will long to live . When she longs to live she will take care of self and her personal hygiene . Everything follows a chain and I need to break the chain of depression by first understanding its cause . This learning experience just enhanced my problem solving skills (Shives 2007 . This means identification of the reason of the major display of emotions itself . She is truly lonely and longing for the care , love and companionship of her husband . Her world revolves around him and she was too accustomed to his presence it feels like life can be figuratively empty without him . Reaching out for a person who closes her doors to the world is extremely difficult when her emotion is still intense . My orientation about her situation warrants me to explore possibilities that will lead to the resolution of her hygiene problems or maybe find solutions to help elevate her depression in some ways

I make small light chats everytime I give her medicine . In each little conversation I always maintain eye contact pausing a little from work to give her my attention . Bereavement is powerful and life changing so I did not attempt to stifle her emotions nor try to sooth her out of it The light conversations would find its way to make her release whatever emotions she is keeping inside her . I figure out that the best way to fight depression and grief is not to fight it at all but just let the feelings flow and find its release by talking it out . Listening is a good skill and showing compassion in my actions and facial expression helps obtain trust which is the basic start of any good patient-nurse relationship . Helping her should start with her trusting me and seeing me as her friend and not just a nurse (Moon 1999

How did I feel at that...