Wk 1 DQ Health Assessement.docx - NURS 6512 Week 1...

NURS 6512
Week 1 Discussion Module 1
An interview and a description of the communication techniques used for a 4-year-old
biracial male living with his grandmother in a high-density public housing complex. I am going
to explain the use techniques I used and why and I will identify a risk assessment instrument I
choose and it is applicable to my patient and then I will provide five targeted questions I asked
my patient.
Communication and Interview Techniques
Therapeutic communication is the cornerstone of healthcare Good communication makes
patients feel valued, cared for and helps them feel at ease. Effective communication not only
improves care services but also creates a better working environment for care as it creates more
transparency and openness related to daily tasks and requirements. Effective communication is
not only critical to meeting patient needs and providing safe, high-quality, and patient-centered
care, it is necessary to how we manage healthcare delivery.
Most importantly, to provide an individualistic care the right communication technique must be
taken into consideration as every patient is different due to culture, age, religion, mental state etc.
For a four year old patient parent or legal guardian during the interview may have to be present
to avoid patient from being anxious or scared. It may be necessary to provide simple written
instructions when necessary; use graphics where possible. Young patients may need ample time
to respond or ask questions. For a younger child, such as my four-year-old patient, they may
prefer you to play with them to ease their fear of the interview, and they need to be able to
understand what you are saying, so the language used is important (Ball et al., 2015, Chapter 1)

Questions on Health history based on the patient’s social determinants of health
The social determinants of health are the economic and social conditions that influence
individual and group differences in health status. Social determinants of health are the conditions
in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. They include factors like socioeconomic
status, education, neighborhood and physical environment, employment, and social support
networks, as well as access to health care. More so, I will take into consideration the healthy
early child development which includes the physical, social /emotional, and language/cognitive
domains of development , each equally important. For this four year old living with the
grandmother in a high-density public housing complex, I will ask questions on feeding and
nutritional intake, financial status, history and records of well-child visits, medical history,
possible poverty, safety, education and other necessary questions that may be important for
treatment. I will also assess for early life stresses. Stressors such as physical abuse, family
instability, unsafe neighborhoods, and poverty can cause children to have inadequate coping