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Module 1 Assignment Marjorie Simon N492 Community Health Nursing Aspen University Brooke Cook October 28, 2024

Introduction Healthcare settings are increasingly diverse today. This diversity presents unique challenges for nurses. They communicate with patients from various backgrounds—factors like age, culture, race, and gender matter. Living situations also impact a nurse's comfort level. Personal experiences with older adults shape communication approaches. Biases in society and healthcare influence interactions, too. This essay addresses these differences in detail. It reflects on my upbringing and treatment of older adults. Observed aging biases will also be explored. A community education plan to address ageism is proposed. The essay highlights the importance of self-awareness in nursing. Cultural competence ensures equitable and respectful care. Impact of Patient Differences on Nurse Comfort in Communication Age Age affects communication between nurses and patients. Nurses adjust methods for older adults. Slower speech aids understanding in older adults. Simplifying medical terms can enhance clarity. Adjustments consider hearing and cognitive challenges. Visual aids or written instructions are helpful. Younger patients need age-appropriate language and involvement. Effective communication supports quality care and understanding. Speaking at a measured pace aids comprehension. Visual aids and instructions help understanding. Younger patients need age- appropriate language adjustments. Nurses may involve caregivers for clarity. Effective communication supports each patient's understanding. Tailored methods improve care for all ages. Adjustments create a supportive healthcare environment. Clear communication ensures effective patient-nurse interaction (Kwame & Petrucka, 2021).

Gender Gender impacts patient-provider interactions in healthcare settings. Comfort levels vary based on gender dynamics. Nurses may approach topics differently with each gender. Sensitive health issues can heighten this discomfort. Female nurses may struggle to discuss male reproductive health. Male nurses may find female topics challenging to address. Gender- sensitive training helps nurses handle these situations. Professional techniques promote respect in communication. Training ensures sensitivity to gender-related concerns. Gender awareness improves patient-provider communication and comfort (Taylan & Weber, 2022). Living Situation A patient's living situation impacts their healthcare needs. Nurses adjust care based on living conditions. Living alone or with housing instability changes needs. Homeless patients face unique care challenges. Continuity of care is difficult for homeless individuals. Medication adherence may be a struggle for them. Communication around these issues is essential in care. Nurses need to show empathy and adaptability. Collaboration with social services supports patient needs. Accessible healthcare resources improve patient outcomes (Taylan & Weber, 2022). Treatment of Older Adults in Personal Experience Older adults were valued in my family. They were appreciated for their experiences and wisdom. Family gatherings always included the oldest members. Their opinions were highly valued in decisions. This respect extended to community events as well. Older adults were often celebrated in gatherings. They sometimes held leadership roles in celebrations. The community valued elders' guidance and contributions deeply. Elders had a respected place within family and

community. However, a wider society only sometimes respects older adults. Media often portrayed elders as weak or dependent. These portrayals reinforced negative stereotypes about aging. Such depictions influenced the perceptions of older adults. Many viewed seniors through a biased lens—this limited seniors' interaction with younger generations. Opportunities for meaningful engagement were often restricted. My early observations emphasized the need for respect. Treating older adults with dignity became important to me. This principle now guides my nursing practice. Respect for elders is central to my approach. Dignity in care supports positive, inclusive environments. These experiences taught me to value older adults. I learned the importance of patient-centered communication. Respecting autonomy and individuality became essential to me. In nursing, I engage older adults in care plans. My goal is to empower and respect each patient. This approach strengthens trust and supports positive outcomes. Aging Biases Witnessed or Experienced Observed Biases One common bias is conflating age with cognitive decline. This stereotype affects the perceptions of older adults. Healthcare providers often assume older adults lack understanding. They may think seniors cannot make informed decisions. This bias limits older adults' participation in their care. Nurses sometimes speak over older patients. They may consult family members instead of the patient. Such actions can undermine patient autonomy. These assumptions ignore cognitive diversity among seniors. Many older adults remain mentally sharp and capable. They can make their own decisions at advanced ages. Respecting their abilities is crucial in care. Engaging directly with older patients fosters better communication. Challenging these biases improves healthcare experiences for seniors.

Needs Assessment: Preliminary assessments revealed a significant gap in understanding. The community has stereotypes about older adults. Many believe older adults face cognitive decline. Surveys showed widespread inaccurate beliefs exist. Many think all older adults have impairments. This stereotype creates negative perceptions of aging. It ignores the diversity of experiences among seniors. Not all older adults experience severe cognitive issues. Many remain sharp and capable into old age. Addressing these misconceptions is essential for change. Education can improve community awareness significantly. Raising awareness fosters more inclusive attitudes. The program aims to correct these inaccuracies. Empowering the community benefits older adults and society. This initiative will promote respect and understanding (Burnes et al., 2019). Objectives: By the end of the program, participants will identify stereotypes. They will learn about age-related stereotypes in society. Participants will discover three common age-related stereotypes. They will understand physical diversity within the aging population. Cognitive diversity will also be highlighted in the program. Community members will engage in practical exercises. They will practice empathy-based communication techniques. Simulated interactions with older adults will occur. This hands-on approach enhances learning. Participants will improve their communication skills. The program aims to foster better understanding. Empathy will be a key focus. This initiative empowers participants to support older adults (Rasset et al., 2024). Methods: The program will use various interactive methods. Workshops will be a key component of the program. Panel discussions with older adults will also be included. Role- playing exercises will help reinforce learning. Sessions will be held in partnership with local senior centers. Participants will hear firsthand from older adults. It provides personal

perspectives that challenge stereotypes. Engaging with older adults fosters understanding. Community members will gain nuanced insights into aging. These activities promote empathy and respect. Participants will learn to appreciate diverse experiences. The program aims to change perceptions about aging (Rasset et al., 2024). Evaluation: Participants will complete pre-program surveys. These surveys will measure attitudes and knowledge. Post-program surveys will assess changes in responses. Follow-up surveys will occur three months later. These will evaluate the program's long-term impact. Observations will be made during role-playing activities. It will provide qualitative data on behavior. Changes in participant understanding will also be noted. The combined data will assess the overall program's effectiveness (Hochberg & Eakin, 2024).

References Burnes, D., Sheppard, C., Henderson, C. R., Wassel, M., Cope, R., Barber, C., & Pillemer, K. (2019). Interventions to reduce ageism against older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Public Health , 109 (8), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2019. Hochberg, C. H., & Eakin, M. N. (2024). Keys to Successful Survey Research in Health Professions Education. ATS Scholar , 5 (1), 206–217. https://doi.org/10.34197/ats- scholar.2023-0112re Kwame, A., & Petrucka, P. M. (2021). A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: Barriers, facilitators, and the way forward. BMC Nursing , 20 (158). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00684- Palsgaard, P., Maino Vieytes, C. A., Peterson, N., Francis, S. L., Monroe-Lord, L., Sahyoun, N. R., Ventura-Marra, M., Weidauer, L., Xu, F., & Arthur, A. E. (2022). Healthcare Professionals’ Views and Perspectives towards Aging. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health , 19 (23), 15870. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph Rasset, P., Mange, J., & Augustinova, M. (2024). What do we really know about age-related stereotypes and the well-being of older adults? A commentary on the state of the art. Frontiers in Psychology , 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024. Taylan, C., & Weber, L. T. (2022). “Don’t let me be misunderstood”: communication with patients from a different cultural background. Pediatric Nephrology , 38 (3), 643–649. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00467-022-05573-