Conversational. SBAR. Therapeutic. Assertive. Passive. Slurred. Clear. Articulate. Aphasic. These are all words to describe methods and/or characteristics of communication.
Effective communication in Healthcare is crucial, however, what may seem like an elementary skill, communication does not come naturally for many people. Disclaimer…I may be bias as I do speak to myself in a closet for a living (voiceovers), but it is an issue that I have experienced a lot lately.
I have learned that I need to ensure that my students communicate abnormal vital signs. I have observed students completely disregard the patient in the room during a med pass or not address a family member. And then, of course, there is the dread and anxiety of calling a physician for the first time.
Aside from nursing, I have dealt with several different contractors for our one year house inspection and NONE of them have communicated well. Some would show up at our home at 8:00am with no notice. Some would reschedule our date and notify us days later. Some wouldn’t respond for days… I joked to my husband that I would give them all 5 stars if they just communicated appropriately! We need to plan and want to know what is going on!
The parallels in nursing are large. I think of these everyday scenarios and then remember how patients feel when they do not have answers or when family members call during shift change asking for any updates. Early on in nursing, I learned that simply communicating that we are still waiting on MD orders, at least, allows the patient and family to know that they have not been forgotten. Reminding a new nurse that it is necessary to call a physician and that they should never feel belittled or afraid to do so is critical to reduce risk for burnout. Developing assertive communication does take time, but it gets things done!
Until next shift,
Shania