Assessment of Communication Barriers between Nurses and Elderly Patients

.ABSTRACT Background : Effective communication is the key element in providing high-quality nursing care, and leads to patient satisfaction and health. Researche of communication indicates that ineffective communication remains a potent barrier to the provision of health care services. Therefore, communication with older patients needs to be effective. So understanding communication barriers is highly beneficial. Aim : assess communication barriers between nurses and elderly patients. Method : A cross sectional study design was used. This study was conducted at Specialized Medical hospital of Mansoura University and General hospital which is affiliated to the Ministry of health , and involved a purposive sample of 275 elderly patients and 274 nurses. Data was collected using three tools: structured interview sheet to assess communication barriers of elderly patients, Mini -Mental state Examination was used to assess the elder's cognitive function, and Communication Barriers among Nurses Structured Interview Sheet. Results : It was notice that 85.5% of the studied nurses ignored psychological problems of elderly patients such as depression as causes of communication barriers between nurses and elderly, 92.7% reported that the environment was strong barriers, and, 52.7% of the studied elders were in the age ranged from 60 to 64 years with the mean age of 64. 5 ± 3.2 years. Male were more prevailed constitute 79.6%. and 69.8% of elderly using auxiliary aids as glasses and 13.1% using hearing aids Conclusion : The researchers concluded that more than half of the studied nurses had poor knowledge of physiological and psychological changes of elderly and its effect on communication with elderly. Furthermore, the majority of nurses had inadequate communication skills and reported that the environment was a strong barrier of communication. While physical diseases and physiological changes of elderly are prevailed to cause communication barriers. Recommendations : Developing guideline regarding the effective communication with elderly. Designing educational materials such as booklets and brochures about communication barriers.