Communication and Interpersonal Skills Flashcards
7 cards from real PCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Communication and Interpersonal Skills flashcards as text
A PCA is caring for a client who is visually impaired. Which communication adjustment is MOST important?
Answer: Always announce yourself by name when entering and narrate actions before performing them
Announcing yourself and narrating care actions orients a visually impaired client, preventing startle and building predictability and trust.
Empathy differs from sympathy in that empathy involves:
Answer: Understanding and sharing the client's perspective without judgment
Empathy means stepping into the client's emotional experience and understanding their perspective; sympathy is feeling for them from the outside.
Which scenario demonstrates a PCA maintaining professional boundaries in communication?
Answer: Listening to the client's concerns and referring unresolved issues to your supervisor
Professional boundaries require keeping personal contact separate from work and directing issues through proper channels.
A client with aphasia (difficulty speaking after a stroke) is trying to communicate with you. The BEST approach is to:
Answer: Allow extra time, use yes/no questions, and offer picture boards or writing if available
Aphasia affects speech, not intelligence; giving time and using alternative communication methods respects the client and ensures accurate understanding.
When a PCA gives handoff report to the incoming caregiver, the communication should be:
Answer: Objective, factual, organized by body system, and include any observed changes in condition
Structured, objective handoff communication ensures continuity of care and reduces the risk of important information being missed.
A client tells you personal information about another client in the facility. You should:
Answer: Redirect the conversation and remind the client that other clients' information is private
HIPAA applies to all client information; PCAs must not participate in or encourage conversations about other clients' private matters.
Which statement best describes the role of feedback in PCA-client communication?
Answer: Giving and receiving feedback ensures messages were understood and care is meeting the client's needs
Checking for understanding through feedback loops prevents miscommunication and allows care plans to be adjusted to the client's actual needs.