20 Minutes of Care – 2 Chapelhow et al Enablers

Abstract

There are six fundamental skills that enable a health care practitioner to become an expert practitioner (Chapellhow et al 2005). This article discusses two of these skills, communication and risk management whilst feeding an individual during a work placement. An 81-year-old woman lives in a nursing home, has Alzheimer’s disease and is a type two diabetic. The element of care lasted for no more than 20 minutes but several examples of the communication and risk management enablers were present. Good communication skills promote person-centred care and examples of verbal and non-verbal communication are given. The management of risk associated with dysphagia, malnutrition, osteoarthritis and diabetes are also described.