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Visual Communication Mode in Nursing

A Researched Report on a Communication Mode in Nursing Teacher Comment Draft

Madison Vernaci

Louisiana State University

Authors Note

This essay is for English 2001, taught by Professor Coco. The audience is first year nursing

students who must adapt to communication modes.

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Visual Communication Modes in Nursing

A Researched Report on a Communication Mode in Nursing Teacher Comment Draft

Preface

The focus is a 2 because I do not stay on topic, and I repeat and elaborate too much. I am
having trouble explaining how the example correlates to the mode. The organization is a 1
because the essay does not flow. The transitions are not strong, and I am not sure what the
correct format for this essay should look like. The development is a 2 because I have good
descriptions for my examples, but I am having trouble tying it all together. The AAV is a 1
because my tone in the introduction paragraph does not flow; it is kind of scattered.
I do not know if I should be talking about nursing students learning about visual
communication or describing visual communication in the nursing field. I think that my second
paragraph, which explains my first example is strong because it is a good example for visual
mode. It was easy and clear to write about. I am concerned with my sources because I could not
find any from LSU library. I am concerned about my introduction paragraph because I cannot
find reasonable and helpful sources that provide evidence for what I am trying to tell my
audience. I am concerned about how to make an intro and concluding sentence for each
paragraph.
After looking at my group members papers, and getting feedback on mine, the peer
review gave me a better understanding of what the project should look like and compose of. My
peers told me that I needed to focus more by eliminating the descriptions of every visual. I also
needed to use my sources more. I still am not sure if I should be citing things in my body
paragraphs that explain my examples. I feel that the peer review helped me get on track, but it
still needs improvement. I tried strengthening my examples, but I need more help with showing
why they are important in the visual communication mode, with sources, and with the
introduction.

Introduction

1 In the nursing field nurses must adapt to all of their patients needs through

communication. Nursing students are educated on all types of communication mode through a

method called Visual Thinking Strategy (VTS), which trains them to have skills in critical

thinking, observation, and communication. One of the components of VTS is that the student

will learn how to find meaning in visuals (Moorman). This will help them in the future to

visually communicate with their patients by observing the patients actions so that they can make

a diagnosis (Moorman). Nurses must to be able to visually communicate with their patients and

the rest of the hospital staff. Some genres of visual communication used in the medical field are
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colorful models, diagrams, illustrations, pictures, or x-rays to help patients understand health

conditions or instructions given by the nurse. It is very important for a nurse to have skills in

visual communication because all patients are different. Some patients could be deaf, unable to

speak English, or unable to read, so visual communication would be the only way for a nurse to

talk and in form these patients. Visual communication is also very beneficial for any patient

because visuals make the whole appointment efficient and understandable. It is always helpful

for a nurse to use visual aids because it will calm the stressed, ill patient if they can easily

understand their condition and any information (Gopal). For example, a nurse can use these

genres to explain to the patient the procedure the doctor will be performing in the operating

room. Also, when a patient is getting tests run, visual communication comes in handy when

giving a patient good or bad news. They are able to look at X-rays and ultrasounds too see what

their actual disease or injury looks like, which is more understandable than delivering news

through phone calls. Visual aids can also be printed and handed out to patients, so they can refer

to it at any time. Visual aids can be used to help staff members communicate with each other, and

they can be used in a staff meeting. Although there are many advantages in the use of visual

communication, there are some common pitfalls. Visual aids will be useless if its organization

does not suit its audience. Some patients may not be able to understand visuals if they are not

designed properly. Some visual aids can be unethical and incorrect, so the hospital must be aware

of this (Rojas). The examples used in this report are charts, posters, and diagrams that further

explain how visual communication can be used in the nursing field.

Visual Communication Mode Example #1: Health Chart

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/downloads/calreqtips.pdf
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2 This visual communication mode is a pdf that is in the form of a poster, which shows

the number of calories a person should consume each day based on gender, physical activity, and

age. The genre of the text is a poster with animations and a chart. The audience is primarily for

parents trying to make their families healthier, but it can also be for patients of all ages with

eating disorders and weight problems. After looking at the animations of the children, the

audience will be aware of the balance between physical activity and eating, and the chart informs

them on actual statistics. The animation at the top of the poster is of a boy sitting down, videoing

another boy on a tricycle juggling apples. There is also a girl laying down, eating an apple and

watching this video. This first animation introduces the theme of the poster for the audience

because it shows all of the different healthy or nonhealthy choices a person can make. The

audience should take note and realize that the girl eating a low-calorie apple does not have to

exercise as much. At the bottom of the page there is an animated picture chart that is organized

with animations of children who are not active, somewhat active, and very active to show the

three stages of activeness. The chart inclines and gets darker as the activeness levels increase.

The animations on the poster are helpful to young children who cannot read yet or deaf parents

and children because of its colorful and logical organization. Although the chart on the back is a

type of written communication, it could also be seen as visual for parents who want the real

statistics. This text could be hung as a poster in a pediatrician or nutritionists office with the

purpose of visually communicating to their patients the appropriate calorie intake per day based

on age and physical activity. It is showing the patients the appropriate amount of exercise and

food they should be contributing to their bodies each day to stay healthy for their ages. The

message of this text is informing patients not to over or under eat and informing them of what

number of calories is healthiest for their age and activeness. The message of the poster is totally
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understandable by just looking at the animations. Also, from looking at the animations and chart,

it is obvious that the more active you are, the more calories you can eat. It is simple, blunt, and

colorful, but also encouraging for the audience to get healthy. It has a logical appeal because the

viewer will choose the level of activeness that best suits them by looking at the animations of the

three levels of activeness. Then, they will take their age and level of activeness they identified

themselves as, and look at the calorie chart. It also has an ethical appeal because the chart is

reliable and correct being that is it a source from the DHHS.

Visual Communication Mode Example #2: Dangers of Tobacco Illustration

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3 This example of visual communication is a poster, which visually shows the dangerous

physical and internal effects of tobacco. The medium of this text is in print, and the genre is a

photograph. It could be hung up as a poster in a doctors office or in the nurses office of a

school. It could also be used as a flyer given out by a speaker coming to a high school to warn

teens about drugs. Posters and flyers are helpful modes of visual communication in the hospital

setting because they are available to anyone, and they allow nurses and doctors to communicate
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and inform the general public. The intended audience for this poster is teens and young adults.

This poster is directed at children of this age because it is common for children try new things

and give into peer pressure during their teenage years. Teens know that tobacco is harmful and

wrong, but they probably do not know or believe that it will actually kill and alter their

appearance. The text is arranged in a way that to warn and scare teenagers to refrain from

smoking tobacco. The center of the poster is a clothed, normal teenage girl holding a cigarette,

but it transforms her skin, eyes, and organs to show the parts of the body that will be harmed by

smoking tobacco. There are also captions explaining each damaged body part. The arrangement

of the poster is very useful for health workers to communicate to young, healthy, and energetic

teenagers by informing and warning them that if they smoke tobacco, they will be ugly, ill,

addicted, and it could change their lives. This text has social and cultural influences on the

audience because it shows how run down, sick, and ugly the girl is, and in todays society

everyone is worried about how they look. The author tried to make the girl look as terrible as

possible, so the audience will stay away from tobacco so that they will not look like her. This

shows the logical appeal of the poster. Also, if a patient could not understand English or hear,

they will know the purpose of the poster just by looking at the pictures of the damaged skin,

organs, etc. on the girls body. The style of this visual mode is straightforward and informative.

The tone is serious, unpleasant, and surprising. When one looks at this poster they may want to

look away because of the girls gross appearance. Because smoking tobacco seems to be so

common and no big deal, the audience may be surprised when looking at this poster because it

shows the actual life threatening effects of smoking tobacco.

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Visual Communication Mode Example #3: Diagram and Picture of Fetal Ultrasound

4 This example of visual communication is another poster of the diagram of a fetal

ultrasound and an example of a photograph of an ultrasound. The purpose of this diagram is to

show the mother the layout and parts of her body during pregnancy and the ultrasound. There is

an actual photographed example on the poster, which shows the actual fetal ultrasound image of
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her ultrasound that the mother will receive. It is labeled and shows the medical/technical

components that are on ultrasound images, such as the name, measurements, and date. The

intended audience for this visual mode are pregnant females, and it could also be for the father of

the unborn child. This mode could be used as poster hung up in the waiting room or in the

OBGYNs office. The purpose of this is to show the mother and father how to read ultrasounds,

and it shows them an example of a healthy image. This is helpful for the nurse to communicate

with the parents if their baby has medical issues because they can see and understand the

conditions of their babys picture next to a healthy babys. Fetal ultrasounds are a helpful mode

of visual communication because if a patient cannot hear or speak, they will be able to know if

their unborn child is a female or male, if the unborn child has any health conditions, and the

number of children the mother will have. It also is a document to show the fetus progression

over the course of the pregnancy. The style of this visual mode is informative and ethical because

it shows a real image of a fetal ultrasound.

List of Referneces

Gopal, S. (2014, June 26). Why Patient Education Materials Should Target Visual

Learners. Renida. Retrieved February 22, 2017.

Moorman, M. (2015). The Meaning of Visual Thinking Strategies for Nursing

Students. Humanities, (4), 748-759. Retrieved February 22, 2017.

Parent Tips: Calories Needed Each Day. (2010). Retrieved February 15, 2017, from

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/downloads/calreqtips.pdf

Rojas, E. (2017). Advantages & Disadvantages of Visual Communication. Hearst Newspapers.

Retrieved February 22, 2017.

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