Handling Patient’s Family Members in Emergencies

With an understanding of emergency scenarios, you can execute effective communication techniques to manage anxious or distressed family members in those times. Here are some strategies to help you as a nurse.

Active Listening

First, engage in active listening. Ensure the family members feel heard and understood. This enhances their trust in the care that their relative is receiving and eases their anxiety. Respond at appropriate intervals to indicate your attentiveness, using empathetic comments or summarizing their concerns to ensure you have understood correctly.

Open and Honest Communication

Being transparent about the patient’s condition is crucial. While this can be challenging, especially in adverse conditions, it’s important to be gentle yet sincere with family members and loved ones. If you’re unsure about anything pertaining to the patient, simply say so instead of providing potentially misleading information.

Be Compassionate and Respectful

Show empathy – your words and actions should communicate that you share their concern. Use respectful language, maintain eye contact where appropriate, and keep your tone calm and comforting. Remember to address any of their religious or cultural beliefs and practices with respect.

Provide Regular Updates

The information gap can distress family members. Therefore, keeping them regularly updated about the patient’s condition will alleviate their anxiety. This shouldn’t be limited to medical developments – you can reassure them about the comfort of their relative and the care they’re receiving.

Team Collaboration

Include the family in the care team to an appropriate extent. They should feel like they’re a part of the decision-making process and not just passive recipients of information. Encouraging their involvement can ease their distress and make them feel valued.

Offer Comfort Measures

Simple gestures can help, like providing a comfortable waiting space, access to food and drink, or offering to connect them to support services. Such acts of kindness aren’t forgotten and can make an overwhelming situation a bit more manageable for them.

Remember, it’s not only about conveying medical facts, but also offering emotional support in their time of distress. As an RN, you are integral in fostering trust and open communication between the medical team and the patient’s family. Keep in mind that these are general rules, and individual situations may require specialized communication strategies.