Effective Communication Strategies in Healthcare

The provided assignment content consists of a collection of academic papers, journal articles, and online resources that focus on the theme of communication in healthcare. The papers explore various aspects of communication, including risk communication, patient-centered care, health information technology, and reflective practice. The resources highlight the importance of effective communication in healthcare settings, particularly in situations where patients may have limited understanding or access to medical information.

Communicating in HSC
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The completion of this study could not have been possible without the assistance of various
people whose names may not all be enumerated. The contributions are sincerely appreciated and
gratefully recognized.
Thank you to all my teachers, mentors, family and friends who supports either morally,
financially or physically.
Above all, I thank God who is author of knowledge and wisdom for his priceless love.
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgement................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................................4
TASK 1.................................................................................................................................................4
AC 1.2 Use communication skills in a health and social care context............................................4
AC 1.3 Methods of dealing with inappropriate interpersonal communication in health and social
care...................................................................................................................................................5
TASK 2 ................................................................................................................................................7
TASK 3 ................................................................................................................................................7
AC 1.1 Communication theories to explain communication in healthcare.....................................7
AC 2.1 Influence of values and culture on communication processes ...........................................7
AC 2.2Impact of legislation, charters and code of practice impact on communication processes .8
AC 2.3 Effectiveness of organisational systems and policies in communication............................8
TASK 4.................................................................................................................................................9
AC 3.3 Impact of legal considerations in the use of ICT on health and social care........................9
AC 3.2 Benefit of using ICT in health and social care ...................................................................9
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................................10
Recommendations..............................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
Communication is one of the essential factors in the success of health care organisation.
Proper and effective communication result to create good and strong relationship between the health
care professionals and service users (Broadbent, 2013). It becomes easy to understand problems and
recoveries of patients with the help of regular communication.
The present study consists of various communication theories, use of related skills and
various methods to resolve the chances of inappropriate communication in social care firm. Along
with these factors, report also includes communication process, impact of legislation, charters and
code of practice, ways for improving communication processes, use of ICT software to support
healthcare work etc. In the end, conclusion is explained with the help of key findings.
TASK 1
AC 1.2 Use communication skills in a health and social care context
There are various types of communication skills used by healthcare professionals and
patients which are as follows. Questioning: This skill is used by the doctor for understanding the problem or disease of
patient. By asking questions, healthcare professional gets detailed information about the
problem of service user which can later help them in providing right and appropriate
treatment as well as medication (Razzi, 2014). Clarification: After collecting all the information about the disease of service user, doctor
clarifies reason behind the problem with the treatments for solving it. This clarification helps
patient in overcoming their confusions and misunderstanding regarding the disease or
disorder that they are facing. Reflecting: With the help of this skill, healthcare professionals paraphrase and restate their
feeling and words to the patient (Koprowska, 2010). This makes service users to know that
doctor is paying full attention to them which also satisfies them in an effective manner. Active Listening: It is one of essential skills as it helps in understanding the problem more
properly and accurately. It can increase the mutual understanding between the healthcare
professionals and service users (Crichton and et.al., 2016). Empathy: In this, patient tries to understand the situation as per the perception of healthcare
professional. This skill results to increase interaction between the doctor and service user
(Joekes, 2015).
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 Summarizing: This skill is for clearing all the issues and resolving conflict between the
doctor and service user with respect to the disease or disorder.
AC 1.3 Methods of dealing with inappropriate interpersonal communication in health and social
care
There are various communication methods which can be used by the health care
organisations for resolving their problem related to inappropriate interpersonal communication
(Black, 2005). Factors which result to cause inappropriate communication are personal, social and
professional.
On the other hand, use of inappropriate language, improper messages, etc results to destroy
the image of health care workers and service users (Abendstern and et.al., 2009). Following
methods can help in eliminating the chances of inappropriate communication between the
individuals of healthcare organisation. These are: Training: It is one of the popular and common methods which gives desired results in the
end. Health care firm can conduct training for their healthcare professionals and other
workers for improving their communication skills which includes use of proper language,
politeness, pace, empathy, etc (Légaré and et.al., 2012). This makes service users to know
that doctor is paying full attention to them which also satisfies them in an effective way.
 Reactive method: This method is applied by the top management of healthcare firm for
taking actions as per the requirement of its working environment. By creating open and
friendly environment, top authorities try to motivate doctors and other staff members to
interact well, feel confident, improve their body language and many more (Baker and
Watson, 2015). With the help of this method, health care workers feel satisfied and
comfortable. Use of proper devices: For solving the issue of interpersonal communication skills such as
use of inappropriate language, social care firm needs to use effective devices such as
translators, sign language or Makaton. Reason behind the use of inappropriate language can
be less or no knowledge of specific language which can be solved by using these devices.
Observation Table:
Name:
Part Played in the Role Play Healthcare Professional
Brief Overview of the Role Play Activity: In role play, there is poor communication between the
health care professionals and service users which results to create misunderstanding between them.
Lack of communication also dissatisfies some patients as it makes them feel that doctor has not
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treated them well and do not pay proper attention to their problem (Househ, 2015). Due to this,
some service users leave the healthcare organisation. Along with the healthcare professional,
communication between the practice manager, observer, supervisor and service users is also not
good which results to delay in work or treatments.
Column A: Communication
Skills used in health and
social care setting (1.2)
Column B: Examples of
inappropriate interpersonal
communication between
individuals
Column C: Review methods
of dealing with examples (1.3)
Questioning Use of inappropriate language
due to lack of knowledge about
the particular language
(McCaffery and et.al., 2016)
Translators and sign languages
Clarification Lack of proper question by
doctors to the service users
Training programs
Reflecting Improper communication with
the patients suffering from
hearing and sight issues.
Braille, use of pictures and
writing
Active Listening Ineffective cooperation and
coordination among the staff
members
Reactive method
Empathy Conflicts between patient and
doctor due to misunderstanding
and confusions (Allison, 2015)
Training for proper dealing with
service users (Emme Deland,
Gordon and Kelly, 2016)
Summarizing Delay in treatments and
medication due to lack of
communication between the
healthcare professionals and
nurses
Formal and informal meetings
for developing understanding
between them (Rath, 2015).
As a healthcare professional in the role play, I used all the above skills for understanding
observers to deal with the service users so that they can get all the information about the problem. I
used all the above explained skills in the role play for making observers and participants aware
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about their uses and benefits. By listening the problem of patients actively, I try to understand them
and their issues so that I can provide them right treatment. At the end, I summarise overall process
to the service users for removing their confusions and misunderstandings.
TASK 2
Attached in ppt.
TASK 3
AC 1.1 Communication theories to explain communication in healthcare.
There are various kinds of communication theories with the help of which social care firm
can improve its communication process. By implementing following theories to the communication
process, healthcare organisation can able to remove its loopholes. SOLER: This theory gives more emphasis to active listening and non verbal
communication. With the help of theory, healthcare professionals can make their service
users feel cared and well treated. In this, SOLER represents S: Sit alternatively, O: Open
posture, L: Leaning, E: Eye contact and R: Relax. All these factors can help care workers in
improving their communication with the patients and making good relation with them (Soler
Theory, 2016). Tuckman's Stages of Group interaction: Social care can implement this theory to their
communication process for betterment. This theory consists of 4 stages i.e. forming,
storming, norming and performing. With the help of this, healthcare can improve its team
work due to which it can able to make good relations with proper communication. These
steps will help healthcare team in facing new challenges, various opportunities, etc which
will result to make effective communication among them (Allison, 2015).
 Behaviorist Learning Theory: Social care organisation can introduce this theory into its
working environment for understanding the behaviour of the care workers and service users.
With the help of this, healthcare professionals will able to understand behaviour and
emotions of the patients which will lead to effective communication. It will also help in
forming good relations with the service users (Househ, 2015).
AC 2.1 Influence of values and culture on communication processes
Communication between patients and healthcare professionals is influenced by their culture
and values. It is important for the social care firms to maintain and respect the values and culture of
the service users. Influence of values and culture on communication process is as follows. Culture: In healthcare organisation there are diverse service users and it is important to
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respect the culture of each patients for making them feel satisfied. Different clients belongs
to different religion, ethnicity, language, background and many other factors. It becomes
difficult for the care workers to respect culture of every patient and this diversification also
effects their communication. The top priority of the social-care organisations is religion and
ethnicity of the service user. They always try to maintain and respect it. For example: If a
patient is Muslim then in such condition, healthcare needs to take care of its food as they
prefer non-veg (Cameron and et.al., 2015).
 Values: Effective values, morale and ethics results to create a good, friendly and open
environment within the social care firm. It is essential for staff members to maintain values
and morale of the patients while dealing with them. They can also use Thank You, Please,
Sorry, Welcome, etc for making their communication more effective and proper (Joekes,
2015).
AC 2.2Impact of legislation, charters and code of practice impact on communication processes
Impact of various legislations, charters and code of practice on communication process is as
follows. Equality Act 2010: As per this act, organisations need to provide equal opportunities to each
and every staff member regardless of their gender, colour, disability, beliefs, religion, age
etc. It helps in removing any type of discrimination from the working environment which
results to create effective communication. It is essential for healthcare firms to implement
this act for keeping their patients away from any kind of discrimination (Crichton and et.al.,
2016).
 Department of Health Information Charter: This charter is for those who are dealing with
department of health either through correspondence, involvement or collaborative policy
development. It looks after the personal information of the healthcare organisations for
providing them quality services. All the information is stored with proper safety and
security. These all factors helps in improving communication and maintaining good relations
(Emme Deland, Gordon and Kelly, 2016).
AC 2.3 Effectiveness of organisational systems and policies in communication
Effectiveness of organisational system and policies in promoting good practices in
communication are as follows. Organisational System: It is essential for the social-care firms to keep their working
environment appropriate and effective. Organisational system includes of various processes,
procedures, roles and responsibilities of staff members, working instructions and many
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more. By assigning role and responsibility to each and every care worker, organisation can
manage its work. Healthcare professionals work according to their role and tries to
accomplish their responsibilities. On the other hand proper working instructions help in
removing misunderstandings and confusions which results to have effective communication
(Koprowska, 2010).
 Policies: Healthcare organisation needs to develop appropriate policies for promoting
effective communication in the working environment. These policies can be related to
providing equal opportunities, safeguarding, anti-bulling, confidentiality, etc. Policy
regarding equal opportunity leads to remove discriminations within the organisation which
results to create good relations between the staff members and service users (Broadbent,
2013).
TASK 4
AC 3.3 Impact of legal considerations in the use of ICT on health and social care
As per the given case study, a service user ask Mr. Jeff about his personal information and
private details of medication and treatment. Due to this reason, Mr. Jeff is in dilemma that whether
he gives all the information to the patient or not. There are various impact of the legal
considerations on health and social care in the use of ICT which are as follows. Data Protection Act 1998: This act is for protecting personal information from the
unauthorised access. By following this act, healthcare protects the fundamental rights and
freedom of service users along with their right to privacy. As per this act, Mr. Jeff should
need to take permission from the higher authorities before providing all the data to the
client. And then he needs to work as per the given instructions (James, 2011).
 Access of Health Records Act 1990: This act gives permission to the service users to access
their information in the healthcare organisations. As per this act, patient have right to get
personal and medication information. But before providing all content, Mr. Jeff needs to
take an application form from the client which should contain appropriate reason behind use
of obtained data (Levie, 2010).
AC 3.2 Benefit of using ICT in health and social care
Mr. Jeff and patient can get various benefits of using ICT in health and social care
organisation which are as follows. Security: ICT provides full security to the data stored in it. This prevents authorised access
to the confidential or personal information of the firm, healthcare professionals or patients.
For proper safety, each member has its own Unique ID and password so that only they can
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see or modify their information (McCaffery and et.al., 2016).
 Speed of Access: ICT software helps in completing tasks in minimum time by providing
proper speed of access. It is essential to have high speed internet connection for ICT
packages so that staff members or service users can take most of it. High speed results to
prevent wastage of time, money and resources of the social care firm (Baker and Watson,
2015).
CONCLUSION
As per the above study, it is concluded that communication plays important role in health
care organisations. It is essential for healthcare professionals to have effective communication and
interpersonal skills for dealing with their patients. On the other hand, social care can use various
ICT packages for efficient work processes. Use of ICT results to provide security, high speed and
many other benefits to the organisation and its workers. Along with all these factors, laws,
regulations, policies and procedures also play important role in maintaining relationships among the
care workers and service users.
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Health-care organizations need to follow all the laws and regulations so that they can create
effective working environment.
 Care workers should maintain respect and dignity of patients while dealing with them.
 Communication devices must be available in the social care firm for disable service users so
that they can interact with health care professionals properly.
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