Ensuring Patient Safety Through Effective Communication Practices

This report examines the critical role of professional communication in ensuring patient safety within healthcare organizations. It emphasizes the importance of effective communication techniques, such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation), in facilitating clear and concise information exchange among healthcare professionals. The report also highlights patient-centered care as a key component, focusing on respecting patient preferences, values, and needs to create a safe and supportive environment. Furthermore, it underscores the significance of accurate documentation, including the use of management information systems (MIS), in maintaining comprehensive patient records and supporting informed decision-making. The report concludes that effective communication, patient-centered care, and proper documentation are essential for providing high-quality healthcare and ensuring patient safety.

Professional communication in
ensuring patient safety

Table of Contents
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................3
Main body........................................................................................................................................3
Communication............................................................................................................................3
Patient centred care .....................................................................................................................4
Documentation.............................................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................7

Introduction
Professional communication is important within a health and social care organization for
ensuring patient safety. Safety of patient at healthcare organization is an action which is
undertaken by individual to protect services user from getting harmed by service provider or
health care. At the time of communicating healthcare professional need to talk with patient in a
manner which is appropriate to their culture and eduction level.
This report cover SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) which is a
communication techniques provides and arranged analytic sequences and further improved
communication process to ensure safety of patient. In addition to this, communication can be
written, oral or audio but it should be valuable in patient safety.
Main body
Communication
Professional communication play crucial role within a health and social care
organization. There are different type of communication that is verbal, non verbal etc.
Communication is much more than the provision of instruction, information and advice.
Effective communication between services user and health care professional is very important in
order to provide safe services to patient. It have many impact on patient outcome in many ways.
Such as if patient communicate in such a manner which is understood by healthcare professional
then it supports in providing better services. As from the survey it has been find out that through
effective communication patient can receive enough information about treatment and condition.
Further information can be provided about patient right and responsibilities. On the other hand
poor communication lead to anger, misunderstanding and lack of trust.
SABR is an effective communication technique which provide a structure for communication
betwixt healthcare professionals. Further, it enables professional to communicate in a specific
framework. SBAR stands for (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) it is
structured communication around patient handover and in any situation where brief, clear
communication is critical (Bosworth, Fortmann and Rumptz, 2017). Further it assists nurses to
focus communication for rising the effectiveness of information transfer. For example, SBAR
technique of communication implies situation which include name of patient, diagnosis, allergies
and medications. Background cover medical history of patient and any treatment measure taken

for addressing the current problem. Then come assessment in which healthcare professional
observed such as heart rate, pulse, pain, lung sounds etc. of patient. Then at last recommendation
was given in respect to care plan for patient safety. It is systematic technique of communication
which ensure safety of patient. Apart from this effective communication take place with the
support of planning, implanting, evaluation care etc. there are different type of barrier which take
place at the time of communication between services provides and patient. Use of SBAR help in
overcome different barriers which take place at the time of communication (Hill, Hall and Glew,
2017). Patient want to be communicated with in way which is inclusive, accurate, timely and
appropriate. This lead to make aware professional from issues which service user are suffering
and what all treatment required to overcome issues. Therefore, it can be stated that SBAR is a
unique combination of the two communication style. It is the tool betwixt physicians and nurses
develop a shared mental theory between the two professional which lead to increase
communication and improvement in patient safety
Hence, it shows that effective communication is very important in order to provide appropriate
and safe treatment to patient.
Patient centred care
Patient centred care is one of the most important feature of patient safe communication.
There are some barriers in patient centred communication that is health literacy, culture and
language barrier, non verbal clues, gender etc. for example, at the time of communicating
healthcare professional need to be aware of potential discomfort male services user may
experiences with female physicians of vice versa. Further, it is necessary services' provider
ensure that patient not feel uncomfortable with them and feel safe and secure with them. Patient
centre care is very effective within a healthcare organization as it built on the understanding that
services user bring their own expectation, knowledge and skills close to their illness.. According
to this approach it supports healthcare professional in putting patient needs first which support
service user in providing safety overcome from health issues. Furthermore, there are some
principal of patient centred care which support services' provider in providing services according
to the requirement of patient (Levett-Jones, 2014). It includes respect for patient, preference,
values and expressed needs. It is important that patient should be treated with respect, dignity
and sensitivity to their cultural. Further coordination and integration of care is important aspects.

For example, if healthcare professional not make proper coordination with services user or
unable to understand its language then it becomes difficult to provide services as per the demand
of services user. This lead to impact the safety of patient at the time of providing treatment.
Patient centre care focus on safe, high quality health care. If service user not feel safe with
services provider then they cannot communicate their problem in effective manner which impact
their safety. It is important that services provide to patient should be according to their needs and
demand which help in recovering their health fast and safely.
Documentation
Documentation is a written or electronically generated legal record of patient and
treatment, communicate data, information and wisdom about a patient. Further it cover care
provided to patient and planning, implementing , care with help of management information
system (MIS). MIS keep all records of information of patient which ensure safety of patient at
the time of providing next treatment. All the information which get from MIS are used by
healthcare professional in facilitating person care, legal records and support in decisions making
process in order to treatment provided to patient (Thatcher and Evia, 2017). Further. The aim of
this system is to provide information in respect to the which kept confidential recording of
patient specific information. There are some advantage of keeping records of patient that is it
make sure that treatment provided to service user is safe and as per the requirement of patients.
Further if patient came next time in clinical work place then healthcare professional provide
services by seeming it past records of treatment. Organization comply with policy and procedure
of documentation and record keeping ensure that patient will be provided high quality and safe
services.
Conclusion
From the above report it can be concluded that patient safety is feature of trustworthy
health care systems. However, there is one of the most effective communication tool that is
SBAR which can be used buy professional in order to provide safe services to patient. Further,
patient centred care support in providing services as per the needs and demand of patient which
make sure safety of services user. Documentation assist in keeping proper record of patient
information, treatment and services provided to them which ensure safety of patient. Overall it
can be stated that, at healthcare organization for effective communication , patient centre care

and proper documentation support professional in providing high quality services and make sure
safety of patient

References
Bosworth, H. B., Fortmann, S. P., and Rumptz, M. H., 2017. Recommendations for providers on
person-centered approaches to assess and improve medication adherence. Journal of
General Internal Medicine. 32(1). pp.93-100.
Hill, R., Hall, H. and Glew, P. J., 2017. Fundamentals of Nursing and Midwifery: A Person-
Centred Approach to Care.
Levett-Jones, T., 2014. Critical conversations for patient safety: an essential guide for health
professionals| NOVA. The University of Newcastle’s Digital Repository.
Starfield, B., 2017. Is patient-centered care the same as person-focused care?. Issues, 2016.
Thatcher, B. and Evia, C., 2017. Outsourcing Technical Communication: Issues, Policies and
Practices. Routledge.