6th Edition of World Nursing Science Conference 2026

Abstract

Communication is a conscious action to exchange information or opinions between two or more people. It is the basis for the psychological, social, physical, and cultural development of human beings. It is a fundamental element for the contact between them. It is based on the interaction process through which ideas, messages, needs, opinions, and many kinds of emotions are exchanged, among others. The communication process can be done verbally and non-verbally. Verbal communication is voluntary; however, nonverbal communication can be intentional or involuntary. Of the total information transmitted, between 65-70% of the total is usually non-verbal. In the care process within the field of Nursing, communication is essential to decode, identify and perceive the meaning of the messages sent by patients to identify and recognize their needs. However, communication with deaf or mute people has limitations that can lead to this process being compromised since there are barriers that will hinder this process. Nursing professionals perform interventions with the patient obtaining information through different instruments: clinical, observation or through interaction between people. The latest is a very important source since it allows personalising the care based on the patient's needs. This interaction is compromised by certain communicative processes in which there is reciprocity between the people who make up the conversation, but when one of the participants presents a communicative barrier, adding to this problem a lack of knowledge on the part of the professionals of the communicative strategies. Deaf-mute people present many difficulties in accessing health and its services, socialization, and educational inclusion. For this reason, nursing students should develop competencies during the study of the career that allows them to maintain effective communication and that is effective for the health care of a deaf or mute patient. Currently, nursing professionals need training in communication strategies that allow this process to be established adequately to act in these specific situations. The most appropriate communication strategy for communication with deaf-mute people is the use of sign language, which will allow preserving the right to nursing-patient confidentiality, thus reducing the stress of involving a third person in the care process and, in accordance with the existing legal framework. The inclusion of these users in health services could be guaranteed satisfactorily. Due to this fact, the lack of training and knowledge, as well as the awareness on the part of professionals to address this type of patient, causes care to be affected, and these users avoid attending health centres and do not participate in health promotion and prevention activities.