Deaf and hard of hearing people are a particular group of the population that requires a unique approach, in particular, in nursing practice. The leading channel of perception of these people is the visual analyzer. As a result, they cannot or find it difficult to perceive spoken language. When trying to talk, speech deformation is observed, so efforts must be made to understand hard of hearing people. They can also make mistakes in grammar, word order, and other areas of speech (Dostal & Easterbrooks, 2020). In addition, one can observe difficulties in coordinating movements, gullibility, or, on the contrary, distrust and a sense of vulnerability and threat.
Deaf people make up a specific cultural group. They are characterized by distinct features of communication, interaction, and perception. This unites them, for example, with speakers of different languages because deaf people have their own sign language. If the client is both deaf and identifies with another cultural group, it is necessary to study the characteristics of both groups. This is challenging, but it is the only way to understand a person’s needs and their usual ways of communication.
To communicate effectively with a hard of hearing or deaf person, you must first establish a relationship of trust. To do this, it is necessary to attract attention; for example, call the person by name or wave your hand (Leigh et al., 2020). When contact is established, it is worth trying to touch the person to show a desire to help. When communicating with a hard-of-hearing person about treatment or health, you should look into their eyes while not darkening your face or blocking it with your hands or hair. It is essential for deaf people to feel that the healthcare professional is open and trustworthy when it comes to health issues.
It is required to talk to deaf people calmly, evenly, and slowly. In this case, it is better to use short and understandable sentences, and if the interlocutor does not understand the word, repeat it several times. It is better to write down information, and if oral communication is difficult, then switch entirely to writing. This will help establish contact and fix the conversation: the names of drugs, condition, diagnosis, and other vital details. In any case, it is worth using gestures and facial expressions to make communication more comfortable and “lively.” Thanks to this, the patient will understand the whole essence of the dialogue, which will contribute to the treatment.
References
Dostal, H. M., & Easterbrooks, S. R. (2020). The Oxford handbook of deaf studies in literacy. Oxford University Press.
Leigh, I. W., Andrews, J. F., Harris, R. L., Avila, T. G. (2020). Deaf culture: Exploring deaf communities in the United States. Plural Publishing, Inc.