Simulation: The Communicator 2.0

Module: Video Interaction: Family in astressful situation

Case Overview: This case is organized intostages. Communicate with each character at each stage to practiceapplying communication techniques and strategies. Nurse Rose Halland student nurse Heather Aspen are assigned to care for AlexaTravis in a preoperative setting. Mr. Travis is anxious about hiswife's upcoming surgery.

Character Overview:

Alexa Travis: Age:26, Background info: Alexa is beingadmitted for an exploratory laparoscopy related to unrelievedabdominal pain. she is calm about having her surgery but is worriedabout her husband's reaction to everything.

Mark Travis: Age:28, Background info: Mark is Alexa'shusband. He is very anxious about his wife's upcoming surgery.

Rose Hall: Age:50, Background info: Rose is anexperienced nurse. This type of preparation is routine for her.

Heather Aspen: Age:22, Backgroundinfo: Heather is a studentnurse.

Anton Kovac: Age:48, Background info: Anton is asurgeon.

Jake Smith: Age:22, Background info: Jake is an assistivepersonnel.

Stage 1:

ESCORT: Rose, this is Mr. and Mrs. Travis. She’ll take good careof you.

ROSE: Hello. I’m Rose. I’m the nurse from the preoperative area.Mrs. Travis, will you please have a seat? This is Heather. She is anursing student. She will be working with you today as well.

MRS. TRAVIS: Oh, okay. Nice to meet you.

HEATHER: Hi. Nice to meet you, too. Could you state your nameand date of birth, please?

MRS. TRAVIS: Alexa Travis. December 12, 1986.

HEATHER: Thank you.

ROSE: Okay, we have a little bit of paperwork to do before yoursurgery, so let's get started.

MRS. TRAVIS: Okay.

ROSE: Heather, I want you to start, and I will assist you alongthe way. You’ve watched me before. I want you to do it thistime.

HEATHER: Okay. Mr. Travis, I’m going to ask you to step out fora moment while we complete this paperwork and prepare Mrs. Travisfor her surgery. This won’t take long. You can wait in the surgerywaiting room. And we’ll come to get you when we’re done.

MR. TRAVIS: You mean you want me to leave? My wife is havingsurgery this morning. Can't I stay with her until she goes to theoperating room?

MRS. TRAVIS: Honey.

Stage 2:

HEATHER: Mr. Travis, is there anything I can do for you? I seeyou looking out into the hallway often. Were you looking forsomeone?

MR. TRAVIS: Yeah, I'm just watching for them to come and get mywife for surgery. I thought maybe they'd get here early. We justwant to get this over with. She's been dealing with this pain for along time. We just want some answers.

MRS. TRAVIS: My husband’s always like this when he’s upset.You'd think he was the one having surgery. We still have 10 minutesuntil the scheduled time. You really need to calm down, honey.Heather, what can you do here for nervous family members?

Stage 3:

HEATHER: Mrs. Travis, you pushed your call light. Is theresomething we can do for you?

MRS. TRAVIS: My husband went to the waiting room to get morecoffee. I've never seen him so nervous. Do you know how soonthey'll come and get me for surgery?

HEATHER: We can check on that. Right, Rose?

ROSE: Yes, we can check on that.

MRS. TRAVIS: Thank you. My husband’s so nervous, he’s making menervous. I’m having a hard time relaxing. I don’t know what to doto help him calm down so that I can relax.

Stage 4:

ESCORT: May I help you, Mr. Travis?

MR. TRAVIS: I’m so worried. I know I come up here every fiveminutes or so.

ESCORT: Can I get you a bottle of water or something?

MR. TRAVIS: No, thanks. I'm fine. Has anyone called for meyet?

ESCORT: Uh, no, there have been no calls yet, but it has been awhile. I can check again on your wife if you would like.

MR. TRAVIS: Yes, that would be great. Thank you.

ESCORT: I was just going to call back. Do you have an update forMr. Travis about how his wife is doing? He hasn’t been able to sitstill the entire time that she’s been in surgery. If you don’t havesomething to tell him, I’m going to just tell him that everythingis going to be just fine.

MR. TRAVIS: Heather, do you know something about my wife? Why isit taking so long?

Stage 5:

DR. KOVAC: How are you feeling, Mrs. Travis?

MRS. TRAVIS: I guess as expected.

DR. KOVAC: Mr. Travis, your wife did very well during thesurgery. It took a little longer than we expected.

MR. TRAVIS: I was worried.

DR. KOVAC: We found a small tumor in her stomach. Because of thesize, the surgery was more complicated than we anticipated. We weresuccessful in removing the entire tumor. However, I'm concernedabout the appearance of this tumor, and we noted some areas on herliver and her pancreas that were abnormal. We obtained manybiopsies, and we should have the results soon. I would like toadmit her to the hospital and observe her overnight.

MR. TRAVIS: This can't be happening.

Reflective Journal question:
1. Write a complete sentence that: Identifies how thisscenario enhanced understanding of communicationtechniques.
2. Write a complete sentence that Addresses how thesecommunication techniques will be incorporated into their owncommunication style to improve the nurse-patient/familyrelationship.