Communication Challenges: Care for Patients with Hearing Impairment in Urgent and Emergency Units

Abstract

Communication constitutes one of the fundamental pillars for the quality, safety, and effectiveness of healthcare, especially in urgent and emergency contexts. It is essential for the safety, quality, and continuity of care in urgent and emergency units, particularly in situations where the speed and accuracy of information are crucial for diagnosis and clinical decision-making. In this context, providing care to deaf patients remains marked by significant communication barriers, which hinder patient reception, anamnesis, therapeutic bonding, and the implementation of safe care. Despite the legal recognition of the Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) as the official means of communication for the deaf community in Brazil (Law No. 10.436/2002 and Decree No. 5.626/2005), many nursing professionals report lacking adequate preparation to use it, resorting to improvised strategies that may compromise patient safety and autonomy. The problem becomes even more relevant considering the number of people with hearing impairment in the country and the insufficient professional training in Libras, combined with the lack of specific institutional protocols, a shortage of interpreters, and the absence of accessible visual resources in healthcare services. These gaps directly affect therapeutic communication, increase the risk of adverse events, and hinder humanized, equitable, and safe care. In light of this, this study aims to identify the main difficulties faced by the nursing team when caring for deaf people in urgent and emergency units, analyzing communication barriers, their relationship with professional training, and the implications for clinical practice. This is a descriptive, exploratory research with a qualitative approach, which seeks to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences, perceptions, and communication challenges of the nursing team in this context. The study is based on a theoretical framework concerning health communication, communication accessibility, Libras training, the rights of people with disabilities, and the structuring of emergency services.