Sharpen Your Observation Skills

You know your clients very well and you may be the first person to observe changes in their condition. Being observant requires the use of all your senses:  seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching.  Observation is an important skill for all healthcare workers...and it can be practiced and improved every day! 

Have you ever seen something without really observing it?  To truly observe clients, we must first look at them, and then think about what we are seeing.  For example, Tina peeks in on Mrs. Brown and sees that she is lying quietly on her bed.  Tina reports that Mrs. Brown is sleeping.  But, if Tina had taken the time to observe her client, she would have seen that her face was wet with tears and her hands were clenched into tight fists.  Be sure you take the time to observe your clients.

• Try to listen...not just hear.  What’s the difference?  Listening requires us to use our brains to pay attention to—and think about—what we are hearing.  
• Sniff out odors as you work with your clients—even if the smells aren’t so pleasant.  Pay attention to the odor of your client’s breath, skin, urine, and stool.  Changes in these smells can be a sign of serious medical problems!
• Take advantage of your close contact with clients to touch them.  For example, through touch, you can observe if a client’s skin is hot or cold, wet or dry, smooth or rough. 
• Watch carefully to see what your clients are able to do for themselves.  Your observations may lead to important changes in the client’s care plan.
• Observe your client’s surroundings for safety hazards every day.  Your sharp eye may save your client—and your co-workers—from being injured.
• Remember that no observation is “stupid”—even if the person you report it to seems to brush it off.  That person may be dealing with a number of problems at once.   If you feel that your client needs medical attention, find someone who has time to listen to your report.  Be sure to document your observations, too.