Body language in health care: a contribution to nursing communication.

OBJECTIVE: to classify body language used in nursing care, and propose "Body language in nursing care" as an analytical category for nursing communication. METHOD: quantitative research with the systematic observation of 21:43 care situations, with 21 members representing the nursing teams of two hospitals. Empirical categories: sound, facial, eye and body expressions. RESULTS: sound expressions emphasized laughter. Facial expressions communicated satisfaction and happiness. Eye contact with members stood out in visual expressions. The most frequent body expressions were head movements and indistinct touches. CONCLUSION: nursing care team members use body language to establish rapport with patients, clarify their needs and plan care. The study classified body language characteristics of humanized care, which involves, in addition to technical, non-technical issues arising from nursing communication.

[Vision as an instrument of perception in trauma and orthopedic nursing care]. / Visão como instrumento da percepção na assistência em enfermagem traumato-ortopédica.

More than being a sense, vision is a powerful instrument that identifies and selects, hence everything depends on what one has seen before to determine how to interpret what is currently being seen. The objective of this article is to discuss the role that vision plays as an instrument for holistic and quality nursing care. This is a qualitative, exploratory study, using the Sociopoetic method. The data was categorized as follows: (1)Vision as an instrument and (2)Outer body changes. In trauma and orthopedics, nurses should be able to provide patients with care in complex conditions and in an environment which changes fast. Results show that vision is a powerful health care instrument in trauma and orthopedic nursing, promoting professional practice that is truly appropriate to the patients' needs.

Undergraduate students in orthopedic nursing care.

This study identifies some undergraduate nursing students' imaginary manifestations concerning themselves and care delivered to patients with orthopedic and/or trauma disorders. The Social Poetics method was used and the research group was composed of 15 undergraduate students. Only the categories and subcategories exclusively related to the "student" are presented in this paper. Data revealed that care provided by orthopedic nursing students is the result of a care relationship that emerges from their sensitivity toward patients and their own knowledge, skills and attitudes. The orthopedic treatment, equipment and procedures, to which patients are submitted, cause important emotional distress for students, empathic behavior and encourage them to search for ways to minimize their patients' pain. All the aspects that permeate care provided by orthopedic nursing students should be identified in order to enable reassessment of the teaching-learning process.