Importance of Effective Communication in Healthcare

Qualities of Important Communication Techniques

Task:

Throughout the course of reading Critical Conversations in Healthcare by Clancy (2018), she puts a lot of emphasis on why it is important to incorporate certain styles and techniques of communication. Her reasoning behind the importance of effective communication is because as nurses, it is our duty to have conversations with our patients and co-workers in order to provide our patients with the best and safest care. During my readings, I picked up on these seven qualities of important communication techniques: scripting, providing empathy, cultural awareness, active listening, body language, emotional intelligence, open ended questions. Out of these, I think my biggest strong suit is my ability to be empathetic. While I say it is a strength, it can actually be a weakness on a personal level. There is no doubt my patients can sense my sincerity in my empathetic responses, however sometimes I take my empathy to a new level and let it affect me on a personal level. Again, while this is a great trait to have, too much of it can lead to burnout in the field of nursing quickly. Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses is key in learning how to actively incorporate those in patient care. In my nursing career, I will continue to be empathetic towards my patients. In the act of doing this, I will take time to sit and listen to what my patients have to say when I feel they need to talk. I will demonstrate active listening skills and offer forms of physical touch such as hugs when appropriate. However, I will also work on my limit of how much I personally take on and take home after work. I need to understand that just because I shut it off temporarily to go home and enjoy my family, does not make my empathy insincere.
Empathy is such a strong characteristic to have and is utilized as a communication technique in efforts to make patients feel as if they truly matter. I don't believe everyone has the gift of being truly empathetic. I think the elements of empathy can be taught but the characteristic itself is something that is either there or not in a person. As shepherds of the Lord, we are to utilize the gifts that he has given to us. "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" (King James Bible, 1769/2017, Romans 12:15). Being present and carrying the burden for others is sometimes how we demonstrate Christ's love through us. Christ carries our burdens and sins on a daily basis. When our patients see us aiding in carrying their burdens, they know we genuinely care and want the best outcome for them. In that drive comes safe and effective care.

In the Critical Conversations in Healthcare book, she talks about how our body language is or is not portraying what we are saying. Are being mindful of our conversations, asking open ended question, actively listening and teach back. She also gives use tools like TELL, and CAR. She also gives us inside clues on how our brain can hijack our emotions (Clancy,2018). I think one of my primary strengths with patient’s is teaching. I love the teaching aspect of nursing. I love educating my patients on their disease process and how to better themselves. I love using the white boards in the patient rooms to draw them diagrams and pictures. I talk to them about their diseases and let them ask questions and let them teach back to me. I also give them paper handout resources. Not everyone learns in the same way.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him (King James Bible,2019,1611, James 1:5). I think this fits in two ways. Our patients ask us as nurses questions to their diseases and illness and we answer then to the best of our ability or we find out if we don’t know. We have to have the wisdom and knowledge to educate outpatients. The second which I have done many times is ask the lord for the wisdom that I need to take care of my patients on a daily basis.