Communication
Communication in Health Care
•Process of exchanging messages
◦health care workers
◦patients
◦patients’ families
◦students and visitors
◦administrators and business contacts.
Verbal Communication
•Use of language and words
Most effective form
•Goals:
▫Establish rapport
▫Obtain information from patients
▫Confirm understanding
▫Relay information to other health care workers
▫Give instructions to patients
Tone of Voice
•Expresses speaker’s feelings
•Patients can pick up on fear, agitation, calmness, and confidence
•Adjust tone of voice appropriately to the situation
Language Choice
•Translate medical terminology into laymen terms
•At the same time, health care workers must avoid talking down to patients by over-simplifying their language.
•They should also be careful to enunciate words and avoid mumbling.
Therapeutic Communication
•Therapeutic communication – patient-centered communication in which the patient is looked at as a person.
•Improves patient satisfaction and improves health outcomes
•Develop a rapport.
•Speak clearly and slowly.
•Introduce yourself.
•Use language the patient can understand, and avoid medical jargon, codes, and abbreviations.
•Show leadership but do not be imposing or give advice.
•Be honest with the patient.
Use open-ended questions.
•Use closed questions only when specific information is needed.
•Ask one question at a time.
•Do not interrupt.
•Allow the patient enough time to answer a question before asking the next question.
•Listen carefully to what the patient says.
Allow the patient to ask questions.
•Allow the patient to discuss his or her concerns and feelings.
•Be empathetic.
•Ask the patient for permission before performing a procedure.
•Tell the patient what you are going to do.
•Apologize for any necessary discomfort and pain.
•Be aware of your non-verbal communication.
Written Communication
•Form of verbal communication
•Allows writer time to research and to organize thoughts
•Must:
▫Be accurate and clear
▫Be brief with logical organization
▫Be free of grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
▫Use appropriate vocabulary
Selecting the Correct Form
•Would message be better delivered orally?
•Does the message require a written record?
•What format?
Writing Memos
•Often used in the health care industry
•Standard parts:
▫TO:
▫FROM:
▫DATE:
▫SUBJECT:
▫Body
The Five W’s
•Who is the audience?
•What is the purpose of the message?
Why is the message important?
When did or will the event occur?
•Where did or will the event take place
Nonverbal Communication
•Used in addition to or as a substitute for language
•Includes:
▫Eye contact and facial expressions
▫Gestures and body language
▫Physical appearance
▫Touch
▫Proximity
Eye Contact and Facial Expressions
•Direct eye contact sends a powerful and positive message
•Smiles and other facial expressions
•Be conscious of interpretation and own expression
Gestures and Body Language
•People use their bodies instead of words
•Posture also conveys a message.
•Read and use gestures and body language
Physical Appearance
•Uniforms send the message that they belong to the health care field
•Physical appearance is also expressed by grooming
Touch
•Touch can communicate many things.
•Touch can also be misinterpreted
•Be conscientious to touch patients with only kindness and respect.
Proximity
•Physical space between people
•Includes:
▫Distance between people
▫Height
▫Odor
•Sensitivity and professionalism are required when patient proximity is an issue
Communication Process
•Communication is a process.
•The sender-receiver model is a way to break down the process into steps.
•Use with active listening
Sender-Receiver Model
•The sender is the person who encodes, or gives, information.
•The receiver is the person who decodes, or accepts, the information.
•The message is the information that is being communicated.
•Other elements include frame of reference and feedback.
Active Listening Skills
•Show interest.
•Be alert.
•Maintain eye contact.
•Avoid interrupting.
•Pay attention.
•Avoid thinking ahead for a response.
•Try to ignore personal prejudices.
•Ignore distractions by moving to a quiet place.
•Watch the speaker closely for nonverbal contradictions.
•Maintain a positive attitude.
Restatement, Reflection, and Clarification•Restatement
involves repeating the message back to the sender in the receiver’s own words.
•Reflection involves responding with empathy.
•Clarification occurs when the receiver asks questions to get a more concise explanation or to clear up any confusion about the message.
Other Effective Communication Skills
•Be conscious of your own body language, including posture and eye contact.
•Avoid any display of anger.
•Speak slowly, softly, and clearly.
Attitudes and Behaviors
•Adopt acceptable attitudes and behaviors
◦Courtesy
◦Respect
◦Sensitivity to boundaries
◦Empathy
Courtesy
•Involves being polite, gracious, helpful, and considerate
•Overcome personal and other issues unrelated to the job
Respect
•Approach another person with a feeling of esteem or regard
•Theme in any study of communication in health care
•Without proper respect, communication can quickly veer towards failure.
Sensitivity to Boundaries
•Sensitivity is ability to see and appreciate the personal traits of others
•Sensitivity to boundaries is ability to recognize and observe the emotional and physical limits of others
Empathy
•Ability to share in someone else’s feelings or emotions
•Patients who are lonely or facing serious surgeries or terminal illnesses are in special need of empathy
Diversity
•Put aside all personal and cultural bias
•Treat all people fairly, equally, and with sensitivity
•Be aware that others have cultural and personal biases
Diversity includes the following:
▫Race
▫Gender
▫Age
▫Ethnicity
▫Socioeconomic status
▫Occupation
▫Health status
▫Religion
▫Sexual orientation
Criticism
•Constructive criticism can build people up and inspire them to do better.
•Non-constructive criticism serves only to tear people down and discourage them.
•Be prepared to accept and give constructive criticism
Accepting Constructive Criticism
•When people receive constructive criticism, they should appreciate it.
•People who receive criticism should avoid making excuses, getting angry, and blaming others.
Giving Constructive Criticism
•When giving criticism, people should put themselves in the other’s place.
•Choose words carefully and speak kindly and considerately
•Allow the other person a moment to accept what is said
Group Communication
•Health care workers must effectively communicate with their colleagues.
•Health care workers must put aside all personal prejudice and treat team members fairly and equally and so that they can communicate effectively in group situations.
•Successful group situations also involve an understanding of communication patterns, interaction, and participation.
Communication Patterns
•Chain-of-communication pattern
•Wheel-of-communication pattern
•All-channel communication pattern
Group Interaction
•Conformity occurs when individuals change their opinions or beliefs to match that of the group.
•In some instances, conformity can be bad, as it may cause people to go against their beliefs and values.
•In the professional world, conformity can be good. It is good when people conform to behave appropriately in the professional atmosphere.
Group Participation
•Understand the group goals and own roles within the group
•In meeting situations, group members must:
▫Be prepared.
▫Use active listening skills.
▫Focus on the discussion.
▫Share relevant ideas.
▫Respect others.
▫Follow through with assignments.
Directions
•In the health care field, it is critical that directions are carried out correctly.
•In order for this to occur, directions must both be given and taken accurately.
Giving Directions
•When giving directions:
▫Keep instructions simple and brief
▫Give directions in a logical, chronological order
▫Adjust language and complexity to the patient’s ability
▫Have the patient restate
▫Correct any misunderstanding
Following Directions
•When following directions:
▫Be diligent
▫Ask questions
▫Take notes
▫Follow through