Tips to Improve Communication in Nursing and Healthcare

Tips to Help You Improve Communication in Nursing & Healthcare Settings

Study after study shows that improving communication between healthcare workers and patients results in higher patient satisfaction. It is one of the key standards to developing a healthy, strong practice that earns the reputation of caring and professionalism. Far too often, healthcare conversations consist of the doctor or nurse relaying to the patient their diagnoses and estimations. However, not only does patient satisfaction rise when communication becomes a two-sided street, the doctors also report greater knowledge of the patient’s needs and concerns. There are several ways to improve communication in nursing fields and other healthcare professions.

Listen Up

At the heart of every good philosopher, teacher, theologian, and, yes, healthcare professional is their ability to actively listen and ask questions that can help them listen further. This cycle delves deeper and deeper into the heart of the issue, bringing the patient more peace while bringing the nurse or physician greater understanding.  

Healthcare professionals often encounter people at their weakest, most humbled, and most needy. Simply listening to their woes can bring patients a sense of calm that may have otherwise eluded them. With this positive outlook, they will be more likely to form a bond with their healthcare professional and adhere to the prescribed treatment plan. Thus a higher rate of patient follow-through results in a higher healthcare professional success rate.

Standardize Bearers

Many hospitals and physicians offices have raised the bar on standardized communication. Kaiser Permanente, for example, began the SBAR initiative. SBAR stands for Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation. Each Kaiser healthcare provider follows specific protocol that encourages team collaboration, active listening, problem solving, and reflection. Standardized communication procedures during shifts and in between handoffs can facilitate teamwork.

Read the Chart

Records are kept to help inform physicians of a patient’s medical history. This valuable document can quickly provide great insight. Not only does it detail the patient’s previous medical treatments, but it can also include particular elements of their life history, personal habits, and emotional and mental stability. Careful consideration of the information provided on the patient's chart results in a higher level of communication between patient and healthcare provider. Providers are quickly able to glean the key details of every patient’s contact with medical professionals. Understanding the patient more through this abbreviated, specialized biography will lead to greater communication.

Socrates Said What?

The questions healthcare professionals ask can be as telling as the ways patients respond. For example, a distracted doctor waiting for her turn to speak might not ask the necessary question to guide the discussion. Questioning can also help to guide the conversation and lead to a more productive talk.

At the onset of the discussion, ask patients whether there is anything they’d like to ask you. Open ended questions are considered the go to for nurses and doctors medical inquiries. Open questions do not imply a yes or no and do not indicate a right answer for the patient to make. They can be as simple as “Tell me about your symptoms” or “How are you feeling today?” They can also establish a line of questioning that will lead to more specific questions. This process will elaborate on both overall malaise and discriminating features. Sometimes a physician or nurse will need to ask specific questions to elaborate on a patient’s statements. For example, if a patient mentions a cough, they will need to use specific questions to delve deeper into the particular nature of the cough. Knowing when to ask open-ended versus directed questions makes a good healthcare professional a great healthcare professional.

Give Me a T! Teamwork

Collaboration between healthcare professionals can also facilitate a greater level of patient-caregiver communication. Talk with physicians, other nurses, even meal care providers can bring insight into a patient’s needs and well-being. Teamwork can also improve communication between traditional and non-traditional caregivers. A patient’s medical team may consist of family members, physical therapists, occupational therapists, in-home caregivers, and more. In order for this team to be effective, they must emphasize trust, respect and collaboration. In-depth knowledge of the patient’s needs and more adequate diagnoses arise when these factors are present.

Talk to Me

Good communication results in a more therapeutic relationship. When patients feel heard, they feel understood. A lapse in communication may result in a lack of critical information, a misunderstanding, unclear orders or directions, and more. However, effective communication can increase the rates of patient recovery. In order to effectively communicate within your profession, consider using active listening, thoughtful questioning, enhanced teamwork, and standardized methodology. For more great tips and to begin the path toward a rewarding career in the healthcare industry, visit ECPI’s College of Nursing or ECPI’s College of Health Science.

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