A nurse observes an unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) communicating with a hearing-impaired client in late adulthood. The nurse should intervene if the UAP performs which action?

• A. Uses short sentences
• B. Overarticulates words
• C. Uses facial expressions or gestures
• D. Speaks at a normal rate and volume

Answer: (B)

When communicating with a hearing-impaired older adult, clear and purposeful speech with visual cues is essential. Overarticulating words—exaggerating every sound—can distort phonemes and disrupt lip-reading and processing, making it harder for the client to understand. The UAP should avoid this and instead speak at a moderate pace with normal volume, enunciate clearly without overemphasis, and face the client to provide visual cues. Using short sentences and incorporating facial expressions or gestures also supports comprehension. So, overarticulating is the action to avoid; the other strategies—short sentences, visible facial cues, and speaking at a normal rate and volume—facilitate understanding.