149 6.2.5 Communication with Residents/Families

Considerations when communicating with residents and family:

• Individual resident characteristics
• Individual family characteristics
• The level of detail the patient and family prefers
• Family preferred method of communication

Communication skills:

• Active listening
• Use clear and concise language related to preferences and capacity
• Be aware of nonverbal communication
• Culturally sensitive language is needed to be inclusive and meet the needs of everyone
• Knowledge of communication frameworks

Personal accountability:

• Reflect on areas on communication style and areas for growth
• Reflect on what you could do differently next time if communication issues arise
• Develop and maintain communication skills^[1][2][3]