Communicating in Health and Social Care Institutions
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Communicating in Health and Social Care Institutions
Communication forms the basis of interactions and coordination in health care. Health care professionals have to communicate with their patients, among themselves, as well as with the hospital management. On their part, hospitals have to communicate with their staff and patients and also interact with the external environment. The efficiency of running health care institutions is dependent on the effectiveness of communication systems. Usually, service delivery is unsatisfactory if proper communication fails to take place. Patients may not understand instructions, clinicians may misinterpret directions, and hospitals may lose important information. Basically, communication in health and social care organizations involves concepts such as communication channels, policies, agents, services, devices, and message type, interaction mode, and security protocol. Each of these concepts is mostly determined by the organizational structure in specific institutions. When the communication system is faulty, organizations experience inconveniences and hardships in their practice. So as to avoid such inconveniencies, facilities must explore technologically advanced tools, optimize interactions and discussions among professionals and interdisciplinary personnel, and avoid risks associated with poor communication. On their part, health and social care practitioners should possess particular skills to have efficient communications with their patients. This paper gives an in-depth look into the application of communication skills in clinical and social care by health professionals. Later, the paper discusses factors that influence the application of such skills in the two settings. Lastly, it discusses ways in which health and social care institutions apply technology in their communication systems for enhanced efficiency.
1.0 Use of Communication Skills in Health and Social Care Institutions
Communication skills that clinicians and social care practitioners apply during their practice influence the ability of patients to understand, follow, and adhere to recommendations and instructions. For instance, studies indicate that patients are better placed to manage chronic ailments and administer preventive self-care when clinicians deliver information effectively (Institute of Healthcare Communication, 2011). Practitioners use communication skills in different ways when ensuring that they communicate effectively with patients.
1.1 Application of Communication Theories to Health and Social Care
The theory of communication as a multi-way process applies perfectly to the health care se up. The theory divides communication into two major concepts, verbal and non-verbal communication (Chaaban & Sezgin, 2015, Pg. 190). The theory describes the verbal part as the words, sentences, and phrases that communicators use. On the hand, the non-verbal part includes four elements. The four are the standing, kinesics, paralinguistic, and prosodic elements (Corcoran, 2013, Pg. 8). The prosodic part includes the rhythm and intonation used in communication. In health and social care, for instance, the speed of communication alters the extent to which message recipients comprehend communications. This concept is particularly important when clinicians interact with patients. I will illustrate this with my personal experience at Gracefield Hospital. I once used to be fast in directing patients until a time when I had directed one of my patients to the laboratory only for him to head directly to the pharmacy. He queued in the pharmacy section and when I spotted him, I asked him whether he had gone to the laboratory. I learnt from his reply that he did not get my directions, and since the pharmacy is the most obvious destination for patients who have seen their physicians, he just assumed that I had directed him to the place. Upon my reflection, I realized that I was too fast and the patient was not that quick in grasping my directions. This was a practical experience of inefficiencies caused by poor communication skills as warned in the aspect of prosodic element of the theory of multi-way communication. My poor skills had resulted in a waste of time for the client. The other non-verbal cues in the theory of multi-way communication are kinesics, standing, and paralinguistic features which refer to body language, appearance, and use of expressions such as “ahhh” respectively. It is common to find patients and staff members describe how attractive or unattractive other people are in their communication on the basis of these non-verbal features. On their part, verbal expressions as described in the theory of multi-way communication refer to the message itself. For example, if clinicians keep using phrases rather than exact words that they mean, patients may find it hard to get the message. The other relevant model in social and health care communication is the theory of self-disclosure. The model explains interpersonal communication in health care delivery systems (Bylund, Peterson, & Cameron, 2012, Pg. 263). The theory centers on the level of interactions that health practitioners enjoy with their clients. For this model, unlike in the multi-way theory, communication is mainly perceived from the perspective of the patient. When clinicians earn the trust of their clients, they may need to respond by expressing certain features in their communications. For instance, they may need to express emotional attachment to their clients. They would do so by the choice of words that they use. From a personal experience, I express affection to patients who disclose their private life to me and by so doing, I earn more trust from patients and the move enhances my efficiency in attending patients. So as to improve my communication skills, I should emphasize on the elements in the multi-way communication as well as the ones in the Theory of Self-Disclosure.
1.2 Using Communication Skills in Health and Social Care
Clinicians’ ability to apply communications skills to practice has numerous benefits. Actually, communication is a determinant of the quality of services that professionals offer to their patients. Personally, I boost the quality of my services by conducting open-ended enquiries, reflective listening, and developing emotional connections when necessary. In so doing, I am able to address the specific or unique needs that each patient would present. Generally, application of effective communication skills enhances the accuracy of services such as diagnoses and treatment. It also enhances patient medication-adherence and safety and promotes patient and family satisfaction. Additionally, the practice minimizes chances of malpractice, and it enables health and social care practitioners to address the needs of their patients effectively hence increasing the quality of their services and so their demand. However, so as to have optimal communication outcomes in health care, practitioners need setting the pace from the beginning. Therefore, they should not just focus in areas such as the directions they give to their patients during treatment, but also on the information that patients offer to them during diagnoses. It is for this reason that they should consider a variety of theories when conducting the overall care process. Actually, the basis of health and service care is interviewing patients during diagnosis. If clinicians apply skills that would enable them to conduct interviews efficiently, they would collect all the essential information. Personally, I prioritize on collecting all the necessary information by exploiting skills that stabilize patients such as being able to minimize interruptions. I also promote medication adherence by ensuring that patients understand what they are supposed to do. When purposing to promote patient satisfaction, clinicians should employ skills that convince their clients that they are handling their problems with the necessary weight. For instance, they could let their patients know that the entire patient care team is involved and it is dedicated to address their specific demands. Also, clinicians should show that they understand the history of their clients so as to convince them that their services are satisfactory. Clinicians should also use communication to avoid risks and malpractices. Huntington and Kuhn noted that improper communication strategies are a major cause of risks and malpractices (cited in Institute of Healthcare Communication, 2011).
1.3 Methods of Dealing with Inappropriate Interpersonal Communication in Health and Social Care Facilities
Usually, communication in health care involves multiple parties and it could be termed as interpersonal. For Gracefield Hospital, clinicians such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists, therapists, dieticians, and others would need to interact effectively for them to handle the needs of their wide range of patients efficiently. However, there may be instances when such communication could be disrupted. Application of interpersonal communication theories would be a crucial approach in overcoming such challenges. For communication between practitioners, interpersonal communication strategies would include dialogues and the use of interactive channels such as office phones and computers. Gracefield Hospital enhances dialogues by adopting interactive communication systems. Failures of communication between health and social care providers and their clients are also risky in patient care processes. At Gracefield Hospital, some of these hardships are commonly generated by language barriers, differences in education levels, disparities associated with culture and social practices, as well personal matters such as privacy, and time constraints. In most cases, hospitals and social care institutions should address particular challenges when designing their communication systems. For instance, they would employ interpreters where instances of language barrier are likely to hinder communication. So as to overcome barriers of communication associated with differences in education, practitioners should use simple language and explain concepts in simplified manners. It would also be important for facilities to encourage their employees to extend culturally-sensitive care so as to avoid misunderstandings between them and their patients. Also, institutions should ensure that practitioners adhere to ethics of care such as those expecting them to maintain confidentiality and privacy when entrusted with patient information. It would also be important for hospitals to have enough facilities and personnel so as to maximize the instructions of patients and care providers. Usually, shortage of resources and inadequacy of healthcare staff pressure practitioners to hasten their care creating time constraints (Chertoff, 2015, Pg. 2). Provision of adequate resources would facilitate interpersonal communications and raise the overall quality of services.
1.4 Use of Strategies that Support Users of Health and Social Care Services with Specific Communication Needs
Patients present different communication needs to health and social care providers. It is important for clinicians to address the needs of specific people so as to ensure that they accurately get their messages for optimal patient treatment and satisfaction outcomes (Ha & Longnecker, 2010, Pg. 38). Specific needs could range from physical, emotional, and psychological disabilities as well as economic, social, and geographical considerations. For instance, healthcare facilities would require having sign language experts so as to address the communication needs of the deaf. For the blind, practitioners should consider extending services such as helping patients use assistive devices and guiding them to different facilities within the institutions. Such practices would facilitate care delivery by enhancing the effectiveness of communication. For people with learning and language disabilities, institutions should consider approaches such as using images, non-verbal cues, translators, or family members. For the case of Gracefield Hospital, translators are indispensible considering that the institution serves people from backgrounds of all manners. Economic, social, and cultural backgrounds are also crucial when addressing patients’ communication needs. Personally, I ensure that my communication strategies are efficient by offering patients an opportunity to choose their preferred interaction strategies during follow ups. I also ensure that I only use gestures that I am sure that they would not be misinterpreted in different cultures.
2.1 How Values and Cultural Factors Influence Communication in Health and Social Care setups
Usually, culture makes people adopt certain values and beliefs that may influence communication. It is a critical requirement by ethical guidelines that practitioners offer culturally-sensitive care to patients by respecting their beliefs and cultural dignity (Zahedi, Sanjari, Aala, Peymani, Aramesh, Parsapour, & Dastgerdi, 2013, Pg. 1). In the case of Gracefield Hospital, for instance, clinicians occasionally deal with people who insist on particular practices concerning their health. For instance, there are cultures that would restrict men from offering or communicating gynecological care to women. Gynecology patients from such cultures may decline to communicate with male practitioners, and the overall care process would be impaired. Whether such beliefs are reasonable or not, it is beyond health care professionals to overlook the preferences of their patients. Instead of initiating cultural conflict, Gracefield Hospital encourages practitioners to explore possible alternatives to maximize patient satisfaction. From my experience of cultural disparities that patient present and my knowledge on communication skills, I encourage patients at Gracefield Hospital to express any concerns that they may have. I also educate them on the importance of avoiding beliefs that could limit their access to health services.
2.2 Impact of Legislation, Codes, and Charters on Communication in Health and Social Care Setup
Health care services and professional practice is subject to legislative regulations. Clinicians and social care workers must adhere to laws, guidelines, codes, charters, and standards that are structured so as to discourage malpractices. In healthcare, each discipline has specific regulations developed by their respective boards, unions, and other regulatory agencies. They include codes of ethical conduct, standards of practice, codes of professional conduct, and of course the national constitution. Gracefield Hospital adheres to the UK regulatory requirements including parliamentary acts. For instance, the Hospital relies on Data Protection Act which was developed by the legislature in 1998 when operating its communication systems. The act requires that organizations only use patient information for the primary purpose which their owners are notified about, and therefore, it is a critical pillar in preventing malpractices and conflicts in hospitals and social care facilities (Gov.UK, 2015a). Since health care providers collect much personal information from their clients, they should handle it responsibly to avoid exposing what would be contrary to the expectations of their clients. Personally when undertaking my day-to-day duties in the wards of Gracefield Hospital, I come across patients who warn me against disclosing certain information to other people. So as to come up with an acceptable decision, I usually refer to professional codes, principles, policies, and guidelines. Generally, laws and regulations promote patient confidentiality. Health and social care practitioners are always expected to take caution when handling patient information. Additionally, the law requires that clinicians inform their clients how specifically they intend to use their information (Gov.UK, 2015). In my newly entrusted responsibility, I would inform my fellow care providers about specific laws governing communication matters in health care. Again, I would suggest measures that would promote patient knowledge about their rights in managing their information. Through such measures, I would also inform patients that Gracefield Hospital is sensitive to their confidentiality and privacy, and at the same time, the facility is obliged to inform them accordingly.
2.3 Effectiveness of Organizational Systems and Policies in Promoting Good Practice in Communication
Organizational systems are critical determinants of the manner in which health and social care professionals handle communication matters (Kodjo, 2009, Pg. 58). There are certain practices that organizations would encourage or discourage, and by so doing, they influence the nature of communication behaviors that prevails. For instance, if organizations tolerate practices such as ignoring privacy and confidentiality concerns raised by patients, then practitioners would increasingly engage in the habit (Entwistle, Carter, Cribb, & McCaffery, 2010, Pg. 742). Eventually, such communication systems would have impaired rather than facilitated patient-clinician interactions. The current reputable image of Gracefield Hospital could be attributed to factors such as having an excellent communication system. The system allows the management to see to it that clinicians adhere to policies and codes of practice throughout their interactions with patients. It is however important to note that the system at Gracefield hospital does not frustrate care providers. Actually, the communication system is designed in a way that it protects patients, and at the same time, it crates enough room for clinicians to extend high-quality services. Generally, social and health care practitioners are expected to be conversant with laws, policies, and regulations governing communication for their institutions to prosper. Failure of practitioners to observe such laws is a common source of legal conflicts and institutions end up having their image tarnished. Institutions that would be aiming at advancing to more recognizable heights would not afford legal conflicts emanating from improper handling of patient communication. Instead, they would prioritize on perfection, conduct thorough spot-checking, and monitor their communication approaches to evade conflicts with their clients. Gracefield Hospital looks forward to being upgraded to a foundation, and therefore, its staff should practice in a way that would avoid situations that would compromise its integrity and reputation.
2.4 Ways of Improving Communication in Health and Social Care Settings
There are different approaches that organizations could take in bettering their communication strategies (Ha & Longnecker, 2010, Pg. 41). Interestingly, communication is one of them. The approach entails equipping practitioners with professional communication skills through training, capacity building, educational seminars, and so on. For international hospitals, the management should encourage the staff to learn common languages such as English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Germany, Indian, Russian, and others depending on the regions from which they fetch most of their customers. Having basic skills in multiple languages would not only make professionals and their institutions operate efficiently, but it would also attract people in the sense that they would feel a psychological sense of belonging. Likewise, disabled persons such as the deaf would feel secure if they visit institutions where their type of communication is appreciated. In cases where institutions may not necessarily train their practitioners to learn skills such as sign language, an effective alternative would definitely be employing interpreters for such purposes. Gracefield Hospital, so to illustrate, has a specific subdivision in the communication department concerned with translating information presented in languages other than English. As such, the Hospital would rarely delay services to patients regardless of its customers’ origin. Other important approach that health and social care institutions should consider when focusing on improving communication strategies between care providers and patients include encouraging basic practices such as listening and paying attention to the meaning of the information that patients disclose. Practitioners should possess rich listening skills for them to interact effectively with their clients. On the same line, institutions should discourage distractions such as making personal calls in the middle of interviewing patients. From a different angle, organizations should better their communication systems by ensuring that their staff members are conversant with different cultures. For instance, they should know that cultures vary on their perception of certain gestures, paralinguistic features, speaking tone, as well as certain lines of interrogations such as those that could sound as prying into one’s personal life. Having such knowledge on communication would place them at a position where they can deliver care effectively. Also, hospitals should update their staff members on information concerning policy changes from the legislative, boards, and union perspectives. Such updates are necessary to ensure that clinicians and social health care providers adjust their communication strategies so that they adhere to regulations.
- 1 Accessing and Using Standard ICT Software Packages in Supporting Practice in Health and Social Care Setups
Perron et al. defined ICT as modern tools employed in patient care to store, convey, or manipulate data (Perron, Taylor, Glass, & Margerum-Leys, 2010, Pg. 67). The tools influence the careers of social health care workers just as they influence those of clinicians. Practitioners require adapting to the technological environment by expressing competencies in using these tools. There are both technical skills as well as abilities such as being well-placed to collaborate with other health care professionals. In some cases, practitioners in England learn the use of ICT tools through online databases such as Social Care Online (Scie, 2008). At Gracefield Hospital, one of the facilities that employ ICT is the Common Assessment Framework (CAF). The technique is ICT-enabled, more so from the perspectives of case assessment recording and data sharing. The basis of CAF is technologically-assisted reporting systems (Holmes, 2014). Usually, the technique enables the involved professionals to assess the needs of minor patients with efficiency (Hampshire County Council, 2012). The administration of the tool includes having a lead practitioner and a team of health care professionals (Department for Education and Skills, 2015). Professionals share information through online portals. It should be noted that the involved team members may not necessarily be in the hospital practice, but they could be in social care as well. In the UK, there are specific guidelines, policies, and performance management information that direct the use of CAF. Generally, for hospitals and social care institutions to fully employ CAF, they need having reliable infrastructure with a competent IT system, efficient information support systems, and also equip their personnel with the requisite skills.
3.2 Benefits of Using ICT in Health and Social Care to Service Users, Health Practitioners, and Institutions
The application of ICT in healthcare has numerous benefits. The technology enhances the speed, reliability, standardization, and overall efficiency of care delivery. Healthcare professionals can monitor their patients remotely and handle complications with their requisite urgency. Electronic health records (EHR) are of special significance when considering the benefits of ICT instruments in health care. The devices facilitate care delivery by allowing practitioners to instantly access all patient history necessary for diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, these devices allow clinicians to consult each other and seek clarifications when necessary. Usually, it is only authorized persons who access patient information through EHR systems. This is enabled by having the system requiring login information which is only available to healthcare personnel (Fernandez-Aleman, Senor, Lozoya, & Toval, 2013, Pg. 541). Therefore, unless clinicians act irregularly, patient information is held intact by the use of the technologically developed systems. EHR devices also promote patient safety by minimizing chances of errors. The systems overcome the challenges of inaccuracies associated with unclear representation of data. Also important to consider is the property of the devices enabling the consolidation of various types of patient information including physical diagnoses, laboratory results, pharmacy records, financial records, insurance services and others. When such information is consolidated, clinicians find it easier to come up with decisions. On their part, health and social care organizations find it economical to use EHR systems as opposed to the traditional paperwork practices. Institutions do not have to keep collections of as many papers as they used to do prior to advances in ICT. ICT overcomes the challenge of losing information by misplacing papers or by having books get damaged and also saves space for institutions. Hospitals are able to maintain orderliness and their management gets improved. For the case of Gracefield, EHR devices have promoted general practices by allowing clinicians to instantly access patient information such as blood pressure, breathing rate, past medication history, temperature, and other crucial tests. Such information would have taken time to access had there not been the technological instruments.
3.3 Impact of Legal Considerations Concerning the Use of ICT on Health and Social Care Systems
The application of ICT in health care is regulated by several legal policies. Such policies are instituted so as to control malpractices and safeguard the general wellness of patients. In the UK, the law requires practitioners to use ICT meaningfully (Adler-Milstein, Ronchi, Cohen, Winn, & Jha, 2014, Pg. 112). For instance, it is unexpected of clinicians to use patient information to establish personal or business links with them. Again, practitioners are not expected to compromise patient confidentiality and safety by placing information in places where unnecessary parties may find access. The law in Britain does not tolerate malpractices associated with ICT. Indeed, there is an established Act addressing misuse of computers. The Computer Misuse Act was developed in 1990 and it defines inappropriate uses of ICT as a prosecutable crime. The Act points out actions such as hacking of information, unauthorized access to information, deliberate moves to alter data among other practices as unconstitutional (Gov.UK, 2015b). While the law does not limit the application of ICT in service provision, it is tough on those who seize the opportunity to cause harm. The law explains penalties imposed on culprits of ICT crime, and the punitive measures include custody and fines (“Penalties”, 2015). Definitely, the British law protects patients and therefore impacts positively on health and social care. Without the law, there would be cases of malicious exposure of patient information on public sites such as social media. Usually, non-adherence to the law leads to poor patient outcomes, unmet patient expectations, high chances of legal conflicts, and a bad reputation for institutions. Gracefield Hospital prioritizes on responsible use of patient information and practitioners who would use ICT irresponsibly would face severe punishments. The hospital’s emphasis on appropriate use of ICT has contributed to its desirable reputation.
Conclusion
Communication is an important tool in running health and social care facilities. It is the basis of interactions and coordination in health and social care. Health care providers should apply vital communication skills for them to deliver services effectively. The theory of multi-way communication and that of self-disclosure are essential when addressing communication issues in healthcare. There are various ways through which institutions can better their communication systems. They include training their personnel, and employing professional translators. Being in the heart of London, Gracefield Hospital stands a chance to serve people of varied backgrounds, and translators are indispensible for efficiency running of the institutions. By enhancing its communication system, the hospital will maintain its high profile, earn more credit, and be upgraded to a foundation. However, the hospital would face risks of having its image tarnished if its staff members fail to observe the law and ethics of practice. Non-adherence to the law, regulations, and policies would attract legal technicalities, and the integrity of the hospital would be compromised.
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