Teaching strategy
I do hands on at the bedside with pts who are possibly alert but almost all non-verbal. I keepin mind they hear every word said. I will use the gesture mode to signal student in the process of a procedure to stop! Then we can regroup eithor at the bedside or out of the room and discuss the problem.
Angela, gestures can be a great tool as you described.
I try and relate concepts in a way that most of my students would understand like instead of a preference card for a particular surgery I relate it to a recipe card and before we make the recipe, we check and gather all the ingredients for the recipe. Then I ask if we are missing something, what can we due? It is funny to hear some of the suggestions!
That's great. Keep in mind that the patient hears every word is very true. I think this is an excellent example or teaching at the bedside.
Many patients are listening even when they appear to be sleeping, and students and staff may not be aware of that.
Caregivers often do not understand that the last sense a person loses is hearing. That is why it is very important to remember to treat all patients as if they are awake and fully capable of understanding everything that is being said.
Sometime staff get desensitizedto the importance of this fact. We want our students to focus on knowing this, I agree.
Angela, I do exactly what you do.I think this is great!
I always admonish my students to speak to the patient as if they were interacting with them especially when the patient is not. Never speak of them as if they were not in the room. This applies also to those patients who have family members at bedside that wish to ask all the questions.
I have students play the role of the patient, sometimes putting ear plugs in one ear to hear muffeled sounds so they understand what their patients go through.
It is important to use some sort of gesture or words that will not upset the student or patient that they are working with. Patients are very aware of what the student is doing and what the instructor observing says to the student.
Beverly, this is sometimes overlooked by instructors and learners, but our words can scare or reassure patients.
Michele Deck
I do a lab with an obstacle course. the student must take another student through the course 1) with verbal cues 2) gestures only 3) "patient is blindfolded" so therapist has to use tactile and verbal cues. We assess different strategies in communicating using various communication styles
Kelly, thank you for sharing your teaching approach. I love that it is three fold and requires different types of understanding. I hope others will adopt you ideas also.
Michele Deck
Thanks for tips everyone
dgme
