Question

A medical assistant is checking in a patient who is hearing impaired. Which of the following actions should a medical assistant take?

1) Use written communication or gestures to communicate with the patient.
2) Speak loudly to ensure the patient can hear.
3) Ignore the patient's hearing impairment.
4) Ask the patient to lip-read.

Answer 1

A medical assistant should use written communication or gestures, speak clearly and slowly, and not ignore the patient's hearing impairment when checking in a hearing-impaired patient.

Step-by-step explanation:

When checking in a patient who is hearing impaired, a medical assistant should take the following actions:

1. Use written communication or gestures to communicate with the patient. This can include providing written instructions, using a whiteboard or notepad, or using gestures to convey meaning.
2. Speak clearly and slowly but not necessarily loudly. Speaking loudly is not necessary and may even distort the sound for some hearing impaired individuals.
3. Do not ignore the patient's hearing impairment. It is important to acknowledge and accommodate their needs.
4. Do not ask the patient to lip-read. While lip-reading can be a helpful communication strategy, not all hearing impaired individuals can lip-read effectively.