Care that Speaks Louder than Words: Headwaters Nurse Teaches ASL to Improve Patient Experience

Going through medical treatment can be intimidating under the best of circumstances. When a communication barrier is added that challenge can increase significantly for both patients and care providers.

In our dialysis unit at Headwaters, a team of nurses recognized this gap in communication with a deaf patient and took it upon themselves to break the barrier. The dialysis nurses connected with fellow nurse, Sandra Williams, who is proficient in sign language and began learning with the goal of better connecting with their patient.

Sandra has been a registered nurse since 1984 and is approaching her 20th year at Headwaters. Throughout her career, Sandra has worked in several wings of the hospital including D-Wing, F-Wing and ICU, and currently works part-time on E-Wing.

Supporting the dialysis team in learning sign language came from a deeply personal place for Sandra. Both of Sandra’s parents are deaf, so as a young child she learned American Sign Language (ASL) and used it as the primary language in her home growing up.

To get started, the dialysis nurses provided Sandra with a list of words and phrases they most frequently use during patient assessments. She then used that list as a springboard to introduce practical signs that could be used right away.

“They were words and phrases like hello, how are you, do you feel pain, nauseated, chills,” explained Sandra. “A PDF of the words learned was left with the nurses for practice and reference.”

While Headwaters offers interpreter resources to support communication needs, the dialysis team wanted to take an additional step by learning basic sign language themselves.

“As a manager, I’m proud of the dialysis team for taking the opportunity to challenge themselves by learning a new language to continue providing exceptional care to patients,” said Tania Alexander, Manager, Ambulatory Care.

Sandra noted that the nurses were enthusiastic in learning and were eager to practice with the patient. She added that even small efforts to communicate with a patient experiencing hearing loss can have a meaningful impact.

“The deaf patient will usually be very grateful for any effort one makes to communicate with them in their own language,” she said. “I believe it creates an atmosphere of compassion and trust, especially in health care. I enjoy teaching.”

Asked about why she felt compelled to step forward and help her fellow nurses learn sign language, Sandra explained that it’s simply an extension of what nursing, at its core, means to her.

“For me, nursing is first and foremost, a caregiving vocation. This, I believe, goes beyond the nurse-patient relationship and permeates my relationships at work, at home and in my community. Teaching sign language is merely one facet of this vocation.”

By sharing this story, Sandra said she hopes the community sees the dedication and compassion Headwaters nurses bring to their work every day.

“My hope is that others will realize that our nurses are willing to go above and beyond, as evidenced by their willingness to learn sign language to provide patient‑centered care in the dialysis unit,” said Sandra. “Kudos to them.”