Communication is the heart of conveying a message in the health care world, whether it is with patients and members of their family, physicians, peers, or other clinical staff. The way we communicate affects everything and everyone around us. Communication is essential in the workplace. It contributes to safety, proper care, goal settings, and cultural sensitivity with patients and caregivers. When effective communication is not used in the health care setting, it can cause confusion between physicians and nurses and between nurses and patients, which can make the outcome unpleasant, leading to miscommunication. Miscommunication may also lend itself to becoming a matter of life or death.
A person who possesses effective communication skills, in this writer’s opinion, is someone who will excel among his or her peers. This paper will highlight information about health care communication; the relevancy of effective personal health care communication with other health care professionals, clients, and patients; the relevancy of effective professional health care communication to health outcomes; how the lack of effective personal and professional communication contributes to poor health outcomes; and the theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care setting for the healthcare professional. Health Care Communication
The Term Paper on Health Care 2
... Bindra Implement practice and protocols for involving appropriate professional health care expertise for individuals All clients are entitled ... service-user are also those who care for and support them. Effective communication is also important in promoting ... intended to improve patient outcomes and reduce unwarranted practice variation. Regardless of how health care organizations implement outcomes ...
Health care communication, according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention is, “The study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual decisions that enhance health.” (CDC.gov, 2011).
Effective health communication is imperative to the enhancement of health. According to Boston University, which quoted Healthy People 2010, the scope of health communication includes disease prevention, health promotion, health care policy, and the business of health care as well as enhancement of the quality of life and health of individuals within the community.” (Boston University.edu, n.d).
It is very important that the message is clear, concise, and correct. The nurses need to teach patients in a way that is simple and that can be easily understood. There are different types of communication.
It may be written, verbal, and non-verbal (body language).
An example of using all three types of communication would be during the education process of a patient during discharge instructions. This is when the nurse needs to convey a clear message in order for the patient to understand what he/she needs to do when returning home to care for him / herself. The nurse should be confident in the delivery of the message because body language (non-verbal communication), can betray the verbal part of the communication. To ensure understanding from the patient, the nurse should gain clarification from the patient by asking the patient to repeat what he/she gained from the information. Allowing the patient to ask questions and by asking the patient for a return demonstration is also helpful in establishing understanding. Nurses should never assume that the patient understands what was being said to them. They should always seek clarification. Personal Health Care Communication I
The importance and relevancy of professional health care communication with other professional, patients, and clients, as a mentioned before, can be a matter of life or death. Nurses are responsible for the safe delivery of care to their patients. Good communication skills are of paramount importance to good clinical care, because a breakdown in communication can cause adverse effects and even death. It affects patient satisfaction, teamwork, patient’s safety, and compliance with treatment. The core of effective communication within health care or even one’s personal life is simple. It starts with listening, but unfortunately, one cannot be forced to listen. One has to show some type of interest in order to listen.
The Essay on Evolving Practice Of Nursing And Patient Care Delivery Models
Nursing is a career that presents those in it with many opportunities. There are a variety of nurses and the field in which they choose to practice is just as varied. There are oncology nurses, school nurses, home health nurses, trauma nurses and nurse practitioners. They work in clinics, hospitals, schools, prisons, mental health hospitals, community health centers and even in law offices. The ...
Listening can be one of the best interventions that can be made with peers, patients, and their family. It is as simple as being attentive to the person who is speaking. When listening, understanding is gained, which in turn can help in caring for patients more efficiently and effectively. This makes for a better rapport among coworkers, the nurses and physicians, and the nurses and their patients. This will also establish better relationships which are valued and also carries on in the continuity of effective quality of patient care. Personal Health Care Communication II
Communication can also affect the health outcome of patients if there is a breakdown in communication between staff and other health care providers. Co-contributors to the care of the patient should all be on the same page. This will ensure the continuity of safe, effective patient care and provide good health outcomes. Anyone and everyone who has a hand in the care and communication of patients throughout their hospital stay should all correlate to avoid any mishaps that may affect quality care and patient outcome. “Studies conducted during the past three decades show that the clinician’s ability to explain, listen and empathize can have a profound effect on biological and functional health outcomes as well as patient satisfaction and experience of care,” (IHC, 2011).
Lack of Effective Personal/Professional Communication
According to the Institute for Healthcare Communication, (IHC), “Extensive research has shown that no matter how knowledgeable a clinician might be, if he or she is not able to open good communication with the patient, he or she may be of no help.” (IHC, 2011).
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... of digital health and use of patient portals, patient care continues to be greatly impacted. The government will continue to make changes to healthcare, and ... the emphasis of patients managing their own health information, it is also equally important that communication lines remain open between patient and provider. This continual ...
Patients are able to tell whether or not the person delivering their care is interested in what they are doing. Of course there is always the possibility for miscommunication. If the physician or nurse seems pre-occupied or is rushing during patient care, the patient may perceive it as not being important enough to take the time to properly attend to their needs.
The health care providers may not even be aware that their body language is betraying what is being said. As healthcare providers, it is always important to have a plan of care for each individual patient. It should be established that patients should not be treated alike because each one is different from the other and their care should reflect that as well. Showing interest in the care of these patients will promote compliance which is relevant to their recovery. Time should be spent to address any concerns regarding the patient’s health and the continuation of care once he/she leaves the facility. This will ensure that any miscommunication or misconceptions will be clarified at this time. Theories and Principles of Therapeutic Communication
Therapeutic communication is important in defining and establishing a relationship between patients and healthcare providers. This is extremely important because this is the time that trust is established between patient and caregiver and sets the foundation for the patient’s health outcome. It is also critical for healthcare providers to focus on patient needs, their emotional status, and their ability to care for themselves after they leave the facility, and to actually listen to what the patient has to say. When the provider let patients know that their care is of the utmost importance and that they are available to help them to achieve good health, the patient more likely than not, will be inclined to become more compliant. Conclusion
Effective health communication is imperative to the enhancement of health. It can affect the health outcome of patients if there is a breakdown in communication between staff and other health care providers. There is always the possibility for miscommunication, so it is up to healthcare providers to ensure that quality, effective communication is established between themselves and their patients. When the delivering messages or care to patients and their family members a nurses and/or physicians should display a calm, assertive, and caring attitude. Their attire should be clean and presentable. These characteristics show a professional and caring attitude. It will provide for patient compliance, patient safety, and better outcomes regarding patient health.
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... processes and outputs such as the effectiveness of communications across care providers as measured by patient outcomes (e. g. , reduction in medication errors, lower ... hospitals in Missouri for free. Secondary uses of health data to evaluate and improve healthcare outcomes and costs have received increasing emphasis. ...
References
Boston University College of Communication & Metropolitan College, (n.d.).
Health communication. Retrieved from http://healthcommunication.bu.edu/health-communication-defined/ Centers of Disease Control and prevention, 2011: Health communication basics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/healthbasics/whatishc.html Institute for Healthcare Communication. (2011).
Impact of communication in healthcare. Retrieved from http://healthcarecomm.org/about-us/impact-of-communication-in-healthcare/
