#3 - Help, I'm a new nurse! How do I talk to my patients?

Have you ever dreaded a patient interaction, wondering what you will say? Have you ever felt worried you would get tongue-tied and look foolish in front of a patient?

Julie, a Sophomore Nursing student writes, I’m scared to death of talking to patients. How can I get over this and become a nurse? Julie, let me tell you a story... 

 Learning how to talk to patients can be very intimidating, especially for beginning nursing students. I remember feeling this way. I was shy, short, and with my hair pulled back, I looked about 12. That did not help my confidence in clinicals. I would get jumbled in my words and tongue tied.

If you’ve asked other nursing instructors this question, you might have been told that practice and repetition will make this better. It is true that the more you practice talking with patients, the easier it will get.

However, I want to share with you the trick I used that helped me speed up confidence. I used a script- something that I created with the words I needed for specific interactions with patients. I wrote a script for introducing myself that included why I was there and what I would be doing for them during my shift. I wrote a script for taking vital signs- what I would need to say to the patient and what order.

By writing it out, I was essentially thinking through what I would need to say before I was “on the spot” in front of the patient.

Once I delivered my “scripted” conversations a couple of times, it helped me develop a routine and my confidence grew.

 So Julie, let’s try it. In meeting your patient for the first time, you might write out this script:

Hi, Mr/Ms ____, My name is Julie and I am a nursing student at _____. My instructor’s name is ____ and she/he will be supervising me. I will be taking care of you today from now until 3PM. I’m going to perform a head to toe assessment and take your vital signs before breakfast. I will also be giving you your medications that are scheduled this afternoon. Is there anything I can do for you at this moment?

Confidence is a funny thing- once it begins to grow in one area, it can often overflow to other areas.

 After a while, you’ll no longer have to think about scripts. Just like in my case, you’ll develop a real comfort and confidence in talking with patients.

 Julie, your question was a great one and I’d like to challenge you and every nursing student watching that is also experiencing this same fear to video tape yourself speaking through your script-feel free to put it in your own words & share it on our Instagram or our Facebook page. I want you to do this for two reasons- other students would love to see your example but also, I want you to have something to come back to later- someday you are going to love seeing where you started in your nursing journey and just how far you’ve come.

 Maybe you have a friend that is also wondering how he or she will gain confidence to talk to patients, please pass this on!