Three Elements of Effective Communications 4.3 Communicating effectively with others is important for health care workers Must communicate with patients, doctors, coworkers, and family members Communication-exchange of information, thoughts, ideas, feelings May be verbal, written, or nonverbal (facial expressions, body language, and touch)

Communication 1. Sender- an individual who creates a message to convey information or an idea to another person 2. Message- information, ideas, thoughts 3. Receiver- an individual who receives a message from the sender Feedback should be used to determine if communication is successful Allows sender to evaluate how message was interpreted and make necessary adjustments

Factors that Interfere Message must be clear and concise Terms must be modified or defined Receiver must be able to hear and receive the message (patients with hearing and visual impairments) Receiver must be able to understand message The attitude of both the patient and the worker can affect the reception of the message

Distractions that Should be Avoided Can interfere with any communication Talking with others while answering the phone Loud noises Bright lights Uncomfortable temperatures Loud television or radio

Listening Essential part of effective communications Means to pay attention to and make an effort to hear what the other person is saying Techniques for good listening skills: Be alert and maintain eye contact Avoid interrupting the speaker Eliminate your own prejudices Ask for clarification if you do not understand

Nonverbal Communication Use of facial expressions, body language, gestures, eye contact, and touch to convey messages or ideas Important to be aware of your own and the patients nonverbal behavior When verbal and nonverbal behavior agree receiver is more likely to understand the message being sent

Barriers Communication barrier is something that gets in the way of clear communication Three common causes 1.Physical disabilities 2. Psychological attitudes and prejudices 3. Cultural diversity

Physical Disability 1. Deafness or Hearing Loss- have difficulty receiving messages Use body language and gestures, speak clearly in short sentences, face the individual, make sure any hearing aids are in working order, sign language interpreter 2. Blindness or Impaired Vision- cannot see body language or gestures Use a soft tone, describe events that are occurring announce your presence as you enter the room, explain noises

Physical 3. Aphasia or Speech Impairment- loss or impairment of the power to use or comprehend words, usually as a result of injury or damage to the brain Can also have difficulty with written word May know what they want to say but have difficulty remembering the correct words

Cultural Diversity Culture consists of the values, beliefs, attitudes, and customs shared by a group of people Passed from generation to generation Often defined as a set of rules Have their own beliefs about illness and treatment

Recording and Reporting Senses are used to make observations Objective- can be seen or measured Examples: bruise, cut, rash, swelling, blood pressure, pulse, temperature Subjective- cannot be seen or felt Examples: complaints or statements made by patient Observations recorded on a patients chart must be accurate, concise, and complete Errors- crossed out neatly with a straight line, record error next to it, show initials of person making the error Never use white out