One of the most important, and most challenging, aspects of your career as a nursing assistant will be communication. Unfortunately, communication with your residents can be blocked in several ways.

Resident does not hear you, does not hear correctly, or does not understand. The best thing you can do in this situation is to face the resident directly and speak at a slower pace. Speak clearly and do not mumble.

Resident is difficult to understand. Be patient and take the time to listen to what the resident is saying. Politely ask your resident to repeat or explain. Restate the message in your own words to ensure that you heard correctly.

Message contains words that the receiver does not understand. Do not use medical jargon with residents. Use simple and clear language that can easily be understood.

Do not use slang words and do not curse. Slang can confuse the message and is not always easily understood, plus it is considered unprofessional. Do not curse or use profanity, even if the resident does.

Avoid cliches. These are overused words and phrases that doesn’t actually have meaning. Instead, listen to what is actually being said and respond with a meaningful message.

Giving advice is inappropriate. Giving advice or opinions is outside of your realm of expertise as a nursing assistant, is inappropriate, and can be dangerous.

Asking “why” makes residents feel defensive.

Asking yes/no questions are conversation killers. Rather than asking a resident if they slept well, try asking, “how did you sleep last night?”

Get to know your residents and respect what they want/don’t want to talk about.

Culture can also affect conversation. These are learned behaviors that are influenced by outside sources, such as a person’s background, values, and language.