I need your help with how to reflect on a communication situation that was particularly challenging for them. This could be a nurse-patient communication; an interprofessional communication or a communication with the family of the patient. Using the format of Gibbs reflective cycle, needs to develop an answers with an emphasis on the action taken. with reference

 

A) What would you do in this situation?

• As a nurse, it is important to render care in a holistic way. This includes the socio-cultural background of the patient including his/her religious beliefs and practices. In the case above, it is important that Mrs. J's sociocultural background be considered and for her optimum nutrition to be achieved, her diet preference should be lobbied to the kitchen personnel.

B) How could you communicate the situation to Mrs J?

• When a nurse is faced with a patient who has limited English and cannot communicate well with the staff, the nurse should check if there are any available medical interpreter in the facility. If not, then it's important to make sure staff members are aware of the best ways to clearly communicate with patients who may not understand English. Upon talking to the patient, keep it simple and give and ask for feedback. Speak slowly and not loudly. Written information should also be offered.

C) What are the legal and ethical issues of this scenario?

• With the diverse culture and ethnic background and practices, health care providers are often faced with ethical dilemma in caring for patients with food culture. Often than not, healthcare providers do not take into consideration the patient's preference for food based on the socio-cultural background, particularly for patients who cannot communicate well with their physicians and nurses. Thus, health care professionals have a complex patient population to deal with, as individuals sometimes face multiple health burdens, including food culture, security, and preference.

D) Use the Gibbs reflective cycle to review the situation

• Description. This is a case of Mrs. J who follows a vegetarian diet and is admitted in the aged care facility. She does not speak English well and cannot communicate well to the staff. She has not been eating since the food served contain meat dishes.
• Feelings. On the scenario mentioned, Mrs. J is not having a nutritionally balanced meal and is not enjoying her meals since the meat goes against her religious beliefs.
• Evaluation. The good thing about this situation is that nurses would be able to apply transcultural nursing theories and practices in caring for patients with various ethnicities and cultures. The bad thing would be the consequences of poor communication toward a patient and the staff thus resulting in a miscommunication of the preferred diet.
• Analysis. With this situation, it is important to consider the patient's food preference and her nutritional status so as to provide a proper nutrition with respect to her food preference. A proper vegetarian diet with alternative protein sources without the use of meat shall be offered to Mrs. J.
• Action Plan. Should this situation happen again, it is important to reassess and re-evaluate the proper protocols in handling such patient so as to avoid this from recurring.