Fostering Dignity and Respect in Healthcare: Strategies for Effective Communication and Support

This case study focuses on Martha Jayasekera, a patient with Cerebral Palsy, and discusses ethical concepts, strategies, and ways to maintain effective communication and support for patients in healthcare. It covers topics such as dignity, respect, privacy, verbal communication, empathy, and team building activities. The article aims to provide insights into fostering dignity and respect in healthcare and improving patient care.

Fostering Dignity and
Respect

Table of Contents
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................3
The ethical concepts such as those concerned with freedom, rights, responsibilities and
the use of power in care as per the situation......................................................................3
Kind of strategies which can be used by the staff employ to support and respect the
dignity of Martha Jayasekera..............................................................................................4
Ways in which the staff can maintain effective communication by making use of
interpersonal skills consider compassion, dignity, and respect to present the best care
possible to Martha Jayasekera............................................................................................6
Reflection.........................................................................................................................................8
References......................................................................................................................................11

Main Body
This case study is based on character namely Martha Jayasekera who is suffering from Cerebral
Palsy which is defined as a kind of disorder that affects the ability of the person top move and
maintain posture and balance (Cohen and et.al., 2021). This case study is structured around the
following aspects in healthcare that is understanding of the ethical and moral concepts attached
to freedom, rights and responsibilities. The case study also examines the kind of strategies which
will help the management and staff to support the character of the case study. It also presents the
ways to have effective communication and interpersonal skills including compassion, dignity,
and respect. As per the situation, the patient is not able to perform the daily tasks of daily living
for that she needs support for that. That is why the home care organisation provides her services
but there were some conflicts that is the care service arrives at the different time as compared to
time suggested by the character. The reason was the area was not safe therefore, they do not wish
to work at late hours (Ellis, 2021).
Question 1
The ethical concepts such as those concerned with freedom, rights, responsibilities and the
use of power in care as per the situation.
There have been number of developments in the medical sector and this sector consists of
various set of rules and regulations in order to maintain the ethical standards. Such ethics and
law are designed to protect the people during decision making process in reference to above
mentioned sector ( ELLIS, 2020). The term ethics are defined as the study of what is wrong and
right in relation to human conduct. It is philosophical study of the concepts linked with moral
right and wrong and moral good and bad of any system or code of moral rules, principles and
values. It is also linked with religions, cultures, professions and many others. The ethical
concepts concerned with freedom, rights, responsibilities and the use of power in care as per the
situation are explained below-
 There are various determinants of the ethics such as time, knowledge, law, religion,
society or individual (Barr and Dowding, 2019). The main duty of the ethics are to
safeguard the society by satisfying the basic needs of the human. However, being

unethical has many negative results that is crime, corruption, loss or trust, nepotism and
many others (Gilabert, 2019)(Fowler, 2021).
 Ethics are something which are applied to daily life and it has many branches such as
Meta-Ethics, prescriptive ethics, descriptive ethics and applied ethics. Ethics also provide
the sense of security under the employees and when there is no harassment at the
workplace then the management treat the employees with more respect.
 At any workplace, ethics support the growth of the employees because ethics allows the
level of teamwork and cooperation. Such practices of ethics are aligned with the overall
behaviour of the employees. That will directly affect the partnership, trust and opennesses
at the workplace (Gill and et.al., 2021).
 Due to ethics the productivity will also increase because many organisations set specific
ethical codes that assists in guiding their operations and how their processes impact
stakeholders overall. Also, when the employees value their work then they will do work
properly by setting time for their targets that is directly linked with the sales an improved
productivity of the company.
 Ethics at workplace assist an organization in establishing a positive image and
reputation in the eyes of the public and customers. This is also especially supreme for
non-profit organizations and high-profile companies that rely more on various private
donations and government grants. Also, such donors need to be aware of how these firms
plan to utilize their money.
In order to sum up, ethics in the workplace leads to bring positive benefits for the
company, leading to built better performance and future success. All the bushinesses make sure
that they are abide by the rules so that the fair practises can be engaged. Being fair and ethical is
considered to be the basic human need and the companies which are driven by the moral values
get respect in the society (Grainger, 2020). For example, many companies have good corporate
governance which take various initiatives for improving the social responsibility.
Kind of strategies which can be used by the staff employ to support and respect the dignity
of Martha Jayasekera.
Respect for the patient's dignity is one of the main factor in principle of heath care system and in
reference to the case study and healthcare, the term dignity is defined as mixture of ways and
approach which is used to interact and deal with patients. It comprises of various components

such as safety, empowerment, safety, fairness, communication, privacy and many others. During
the healthcare programmes, patients feel anxious, judged, frightened, exposed and many others.
Irrespective of the above mentioned issues or barriers, dealing with the patients is one of the
main element in keeping the patients satisfied and engaged ( Bareham, Miller and McCay,
2018). Various strategies which can be used by the staff to support and respect the dignity of
Martha Jayasekera are explained below- Decency and Modesty- As patients have various feelings and respond for various
situations for example knocking on the door and also asking for permission before
entering and to make the customers feel safe and secure. Also, they must ask for the
consent before physically examining the patients. The caretakers must encourage them to
speak up when they are in pain or uncomfortable in order to make them feel better.
 Privacy- It is also essential to respect the privacy of the patients by making sure to ask
before visiting and not disclosing about their personal information in open areas. It is
considered to protect health information of the patients because it can affect the feelings
and trust of the patients. Provide best services to the client- Caretakers must keep the skilled staff who have
proper knowledge to make the effort to ensure services are provided in best manner. In
healthcare, it is prime that caretakers identify the difficult situations with the clients they
are facing (Jarvis, 2022). Verbal Communication- Without proper communication, the caretakers can not support
and implement the culture of dignity of patients. Communication is the supreme for the
workers in the health care sector, because such workers are required to speak with
patients and their families. In this segment, there is a lot of pressure to handle and it is
essential to have proper stress management techniques Empathy, understanding and compassion- It is necessary to acknowledge the emotions
of the patients and also responded with empathy, understanding which can affect the
overall experience and feelings of the customers. Also, such feelings will allow the
caretakers to make the patients feel more respected and comforted. Courtesy- While interacting with the patients, it is important to ask how the patient is
feeling and making direct contact during discussions with the clients.

 Involving them in decision related to their care- If the patients feel undervalued or not
treated properly then, it is harmful for the dignity of the patient. As people like to be
included because it provides them a sense that their existence, preferences and opinions
matter. The caretakers should also consider various decisions regarding changes about
routine or medicine of the patients. Respect personal space – Caretakers are responsible for taking care of the patient but it is
not suggested to push into the personal space of them without even asking permission.
The basic task is to make people feel respected by asking for permission with the patient.
 Promote social activities- When the patient is suffering from major disorder, it is
required to be engaged in the social activities. Also, the caretaker should encourage the
patient in adopting the hobbies or various activities to bring a sense of satisfaction and
purpose.
Further,it is also important to consider various culture preferences that can also contribute
to define various topics such as modesty, pride, respect, autonomy, self worth and many others.
This also includes communication, patience, attitude, adaptability, confidence and many others.
Ways in which the staff can maintain effective communication by making use of
interpersonal skills consider compassion, dignity, and respect to present the best care
possible to Martha Jayasekera.
Communication at any workplace or among staff is defined as the communication which is done
at work about work. Proper communication tends to increase happiness of the team, better
collaboration, and trust. Teams that know how to convey and communicate effectively about
work are better prepared for difficult situations in the future. Also, building good communication
habits takes time and effort. Following are the ethical concepts that is those pertaining to
freedom, responsibilities, rights which can be applied to the given situation-
 At workplace, listening is as essential communication in the workplace as talking. It is
also required to give attention to the collaborative team member is listening to other
people’s ideas instead of just trying to put your own ideas out there.
 In order to have better relationships at the workplace, the company can ask for feedback
so that the better suggestions can be provided that projects mutual respect so that the
people can feel important and heard.

 Developing the effective communication is vital when it comes to have better
understanding among the company or people. There are various skills which are related
to the effective communication are communication, creativity, social skills, teamwork,
friendly personality, organisation and many others. Above mentioned skills allows the
management to keep the work sorted and keep the employees motivated.
 In order to communicate with the staff better, it is crucial to conduct team building
activities which is linked to enhance the teamwork among the team. It will allow the staff
to communicate better with each other. Activities such as group meeting, fun activities,
puzzle solving games, outdoor activity and many others.
 Another way to have effective communication with the staff, the company should
encourage two way feedback with the aim of having smooth operations at the workplace.
On the another hand, detailed feedback allows the management to have better team
communication. Written record of the feedback can also be taken to increase the overall
productivity and communication. Likewise, the staff should be able to accept, encourage
the feedback from others. They should listen to the feedback as given and also ask by
clarifying questions related to issues and make efforts to implement the feedback for
better functioning of the operations.
 Effective communication is also be done by increasing the employee engagement that
will direct make the working environment positive and healthy. The management should
listen to its staff so that they feel heard and understood at work. Also, the good listening
skills assist in sharing the information in an proper manner and that will boost the overall
position and communication at the workplace.
 Any company can conduct face to face meeting to convey and deliver a message. Due to
this, the various queries and doubts of the employees will be clarified and the employees
will be encouraged and motivated to communicate with others in a better manner.
 The ability to communicate better with collogues, seniors or staff is an important task for
the company irrespective of any industry. In the digital age, management should know
how to convey the messages by suing any way that is social media, phone, email or in
person.
 Also, the staff will be more open to communicating with the management if they convey
respect for them, their opinions and ideas. There are simple actions like using a person's

name, making eye contact, and actively giving attention while listening when a person
speaks will make the person feel heard and appreciated. On the other hand, one should
avoid distractions and stay focused in the conversation.
 It is also necessary to be polite and humble during all the communication at the
workplace and it is main in interacting in face to face communication. Also, eye contact,
body language and a friendly behaviour will project the managers to be more presentable
and approachable and that will directly allow the staff to be more comfortable &
encourage them to speak openly with the management.
 A good communicator and the management should start any conversation with an open
and flexible mind. He or she will be open to listening and understanding the opinion and
point of view of the staff. Along with it, it is also necessary to pick the right medium so
that the better communication can be done.
 While communicating with the staff, feelings are also play a major role because it can be
said that non-verbal behaviour creates a main impact on the understanding of other
people. The people who are in management are suggested to control the emotions
otherwise the Management will not be able to understand others or convey the required
messages to the staff.
 The management must taken the responsibility to start communication and do not wait
for the others to start the communication. Such communication can be on various topics
to suggest better ways for the staff.
 Lack of communication is one of the reason for failure at the workplace and every project
or task requires the proper set of communication among the team members and the
managements (Silva Martins, Silva and Silva, 2019).
Question 2
Reflection
This case study has contributed to your own learning, self-development and practice in
understanding dignity and respect
Gibbs model
Description
Dignity and respect are considered to be the core values for the performing well in their
segment and domain. That is why, patients are treated with care and compassion with the help of

courteous and polite staff (Marsh and Kelly, 2018) . It is crucial to make sure that patients are
treated with dignity and respect. Also, It is one of those factors which makes the most difference
in their care and treatment. This case study has added to the own learning, self development and
ways in understanding the concept of dignity and respect. Using the above mentioned case study
in the learning process represents an existing approach to learning which can help the students
take more responsibility in the learning process, both life and in classroom. On the one hand, it
has been shown that using this study is beneficial for the students because they encourage
understanding of the topic of dignity and respect. By increasing the level of enthusiasm, which
can be shared among the students. Furthermore, the case study encourage the motivation among
us for our own learning in analysing and evaluating the case study in a new segment.
Feelings
With the help of case study, I was able to undertake the critical analysis that has assisted
me in improving my problem solving skill in order to find and bring solutions. We also
developed the values that has created the impact on our own development and individual level of
learning. I also got to know about the ways in which an individual can be treated that is by extra
time and care. Due to this learning, I was able to investigate the circumstances of the individual
by collecting the in depth knowledge of the topic. This allowed me to research about the topic in
order to gain the knowledge from the information presented.
Evaluation
The purpose of the case study is to highlight the issues which allows the students to get
the significant meaning of the ethical and moral concepts related to freedom, rights and
responsibilities. Within a casing, we were asked to analyse the case study where we had to go
through the theoretical part of effective communication and interpersonal skills included in the
outline that is compassion, dignity, and respect.
Analysis
The case study approach allows me to have exploration of the complex issues in the real
life of an individual. Case studies are said to be effective for learners as it provides the
perspective of the insider into taking the decisions.
Conclusion
The whole activity allows us to improve our participating skills while enjoying the
learning process. The whole process allowed us to strengthen our team work spirit as it is an

essential part in the healthcare sector. By making use of my effective learning and motivational
skills in the team operations also assisted me to perform better. With the help of such skills I was
able to easily eliminates the barriers which can bound the performance of the team overall. In
addition to this, due to working in team work, my leadership skills and team motivation skills
was also improved.
Action plan
Skills Need of skill Actions taken Time
Skills in Reporting To keep track of the
organisation
operational
activities
I'll learn about online
course instruction,
which is becoming
increasingly popular.
5 Months
Communication skills To establish a
relationship with
workers and
develop a better
knowledge of
communication
abilities. to increase
my communication
skills
Communication
Capabilities To
establish a relationship
with workers and
develop a better
knowledge of
communication
abilities. to increase
my communication
skills I'm focusing on
reading books and
communicating with
my supervisors in
order to strengthen
these abilities.
1-2 months

References
Books and Journals
Bareham, K., Miller, A. and McCay, K., 2018. P-217 Collaborative neighbourhood team
working enabling improved use of resources and person-centred care.
Barr, J. and Dowding, L., 2019. Leadership in health care. Sage.
Cohen, E.V., Luce, V., González, M.J., Hagestuen, R., González-Ramos, G. and Cohen, H.W.,
2021. Improving team skills of health care practitioners: effects of an interprofessional
education program. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 41(3),
pp.185-194.
ELLIS, P., 2020. Team working (part 2): team member types. Wounds UK, 16(2).
Ellis, P., 2021. Leadership, management and team working in nursing. Sage.
Fowler, J., 2021. Team working part 1: Nursing is a team profession. British Journal of
Nursing, 30(10), pp.618-618.
Gilabert, P., 2019. Human dignity and human rights. Oxford University Press, USA.
Gill, C., Hess, S., Myrick, E., Skelly, R., Lindop, F., Mace, T. and Fleisher, J., 2021. The
multidisciplinary team working with Parkinson’s patients. Parkinson's Disease: An
Interdisciplinary Guide to Management, p.25.
Grainger, A., 2020. Team-working: our part in making it effective. British Journal of Healthcare
Assistants, 14(10), pp.474-480.
Jarvis, N., 2022. Leading a TB team working with hard-to-reach clients. British Journal of
Nursing, 31(4), pp.252-253.
Marsh, P. and Kelly, L., 2018. Dignity of risk in the community: a review of and reflections on
the literature. Health, Risk & Society, 20(5-6), pp.297-311.
Silva Martins, S.A.D., Silva, M.T.D. and Silva, I.V.D., 2019, August. The Impact of Technology
on the Work Process of the Nursing Team Working in Hemodialysis. In International
Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies (pp. 749-755). Springer,
Cham.