Communication

Learning Outcomes

1. Define the term communication.

2. Identify the two forms of communication.
3. Define two types of communication.
4. Understand the communication process
5. Identify barriers to effective communication
6. Outline ways to improve communication.
7. Identify some ethicolegal issues in communication
8. List some common medical abbreviations that are
used to communicate in the health care settings
Communication

 Many definition of communication

 To communicate means to impart
information, to exchange ideas, to express
one’s self in such a way as to be understood.
 Communication can be defined as a system of
sending and receiving messages, forming a
connection between the sender and the
receiver.
Forms of Communication

 People communicate in a variety of ways.

 Verbal communication- involves the spoken
or written word. It is an exchange using the
elements of language.
 Non verbal communication- A person
communicates by gestures, facial
expressions, posture, body movement, voice
tone and volume, rate of speech, and even
dress (Body Language).
Forms of Communication

 Body Language
 Key to success in both personal and professional
relationships lies in your ability to communicate well, it’s
not the words that you use but your nonverbal cues or
“body language” that speak the loudest.
 Body language is the use of physical behavior, expressions,
and mannerisms to communicate nonverbally, often done
instinctively rather than consciously.
 Whether you’re aware of it or not, when you interact with
others, you’re continuously giving and receiving wordless
signals.
Forms of Communication

 All of your nonverbal behaviors—the gestures you

make, your posture, your tone of voice, how
much eye contact you make—send strong
messages.
 They can put people at ease, build trust, and draw
others towards you, or they can offend, confuse,
and undermine what you’re trying to convey.
 These messages don’t stop when you stop
speaking either. Even when you’re silent, you’re
still communicating nonverbally.
Types of Communication
 Formal Communication
 Formal communication flows through the
official channels designed in the
organizational chart.
 It may take place between a superior and a
subordinate, a subordinate and a superior or
among the same cadre employees or
managers.
 These communications can be oral or in
writing and are generally recorded and filed in
the office.
Types of Communication
Informal Communication
Any communication that takes place without
following the formal channels of communication
.
Often referred to as the ‘grapevine’ as it spreads
throughout the organization and in all directions
without any regard to the levels of authority.
The informal communication spreads rapidly,
often gets distorted and it is very difficult to
detect the source of such communication. It also
leads to rumors which are not true.
Types of Communication
 Informal Communication
 People’s behaviour is often affected by the
rumors and informal discussions which
sometimes may hamper the work environment.
 However, sometimes these channels may be
helpful as they carry information rapidly and,
therefore, may be useful to the manager at
times.
 Informal channels are also used by the
managers to transmit information in order to
know the reactions of his/her subordinates.
Examples of Types of Communication

 Written  Eye Contact

 Spoken  Facial expression
 Television and radio  Body posture
 Movies  Gestures
 Magazines  Physical appearance
 Books  Voice tone
 Computers  Rate of speech
 Posters  Neatness
 Brochures  Movement
 Touch
THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS
The Communication Process

 Communication is a continuous, dynamic,

ongoing and ever changing operation.

 The elements of the communication process

is based on the work of Berlo (1960), a
communication theorist.
Sender
 All communication has a sender (a person or
group with a purpose for the
communication).
 The sender first develops an idea (ideation)
which must be translated into a code. This is
done with language or non verbal signals such
a gestures, facial expressions, or body cues.
Encoding

The process of getting the purpose translated

into the code is called encoding. Encoding
results in a message.

Transmission
The person who develops and encodes the idea
(sender) then transmits the idea via a channel
Communication Channel
 The medium or carrier of the message.
 The channel might target any of the receiver’s
senses. The message can be sent to the receiver
through the following channels:
 Auditory—spoken words and cues
 Visual—sight, observations, and perception
 Kinesthetic—touch
 NB- If the communication process were to stop at
this element, no communication would take place
because there must be someone at the other end
of the channel- the receiver.
The Receiver

 At the other end of the channel is the person

who is last in the chain and for whom the
message was sent by the sender.

 Once once the receiver receives the message

and understands it in proper perspective
(decodes) and acts according to the message,
only then the purpose of communication is
successful.
Feedback

 Feedback means that the sender and the

receiver use one another’s reactions to
produce further messages.
Communication process

 Understanding the elements of the communication

process is useful, because sometimes specific
difficulties in communication can be traced to one or
more of these elements.
 A basic example is the client who speaks a different
language from the medical assistant. In this case the
medical assistant may need to attend to the
communication channel.
 An interpreter may be needed to help carry the message
or help the client decode the medical assistant’s
messages. Pictures may be used to convey the message.
Communication Barriers

 May prevent communication or carry

incorrect meaning due to which
misunderstandings may be created.
 Therefore, it is essential for a manager to
identify such barriers and take appropriate
measures to overcome them. The barriers to
communication in organizations can be
broadly grouped as follows:
Communication Barriers

 Semantics – language
 Disabilities
 Health Literacy
 Organisational
 Psychological
Communication Barriers

Semantic Barriers
 These are concerned with the problems and
obstructions in the process of encoding and
decoding of a message into words or
impressions. Normally, such barriers result
due to use of wrong words, faulty
translations, different interpretations, etc.
Language is an example of semantic barrier
Communication Barriers

Language
To avoid misunderstandings:
 Obtain confirmation from the person you are
addressing that you are understood.
 Make use of organizational resources such as
translators, quick references for languages
frequently spoken, and Internet resources.
Disabilities

Disabilities may also create barriers.

 Hearing impaired
 Visually impaired
Aids to assist with disabilities:
1. Interpreters of various languages, including
sign language.
2. Large print reading materials
3. Aids for persons who can’t speak
Health literacy

 Health literacy limitations interfere with

communication in the healthcare setting.
 Assure that your patients understand the
terminology, meaning, and implications of
oral communications concerning their care.
Organizational Barriers

 The factors related to organizational

structure, rules and regulations authority
relationships, etc. may sometimes act as
barriers to effective communication.
 In an organization with a highly centralized
pattern, people may not be encouraged to
have free communication. Also, rigid rules
and regulations and cumbersome procedures
may also become a hurdle to communication.
Psychological Barriers

 Emotional or psychological factors also act as

barriers to communication. The state of mind of
both sender and receiver of communication reflects
in effective communication. A worried person
cannot communicate properly and an angry
recipient cannot understand the message properly.
 Thus, at the time of communication, both the
sender and the receiver need to be psychologically
sound. Also, they should trust each other. If they do
not believe each other, they cannot understand
each other’s message in its original sense.
Attitudes that interfere with
Communication

 Some attitudes interfere with creating an

atmosphere of trust and open
communication. These include:
 Defensiveness which closes off
communication and may evoke a defensive
response in return
 Judgmental attitudes which interfere with an
unbiased view of each situation
 Stereotyping which interferes with respect for
each individual
 Arrogant attitudes which may create safety risks
if one staff member is reluctant to communicate
with another because of that person’s attitude
 Uncooperative attitudes which sabotage
teamwork
 Hostility which lead to angry outbursts and
abusive behavior
 Passive-aggressive attitudes which interfere with
honest, open communication and teamwork
Confidentiality

 You need to protect the patient’s information

at ALL TIMES.
 Follow your organization’s policies and
procedures to protect patients’ privacy. These
policies include measures to protect personal
health information (PHI)
 Only those who need to know PHI to provide
care have access to PHI.
 Verify another’s need to know before discussing PHI.
 Conduct your conversation outside of the hearing of
others.
 Be cautious about identifying a patient if you may be
overheard by someone who does not have the need
to know.
 The patient must give written permission to the
medical records department for family and
significant others to receive PHI.
 Healthcare workers may not access their own
records or the records of their children or other
family members without written permission to the
medical records department.
Confidentiality

 Patients must give consent for their PHI to be

disclosed, including admissions to the
healthcare facility.
 If consent is not given, no information may
be given out
 Respond to any inquiries with “I have no
information about that patient”
Ways to Improve
Communication
Positive attitude

Specific verbal and nonverbal techniques can express a positive

attitude:
 Place yourself at the same level of the patient
 Maintain eye contact
 Clarifying by asking questions
 Using open-ended questions
 Paraphrasing or restating to assure that you received the
intended message
 Asking the other person to restate what you have told him
Ways to Improve
Communication
 Say the individual’s name and identify yourself
 Refer to people by their names
 Speak clearly and slowly
 Speak with warmth and positivity
 Simplify the words
 Talk to the individual as an adult, not a child
 Answer questions in a calm and reassuring manner
 Offer a guess when the person uses the wrong word or cannot find the
word
 Encourage the person when they are facing trouble expressing
themselves
 Move at the pace of the person that is according to their time and
place
Ways to Improve
Communication
 Using silence and allowing time to put thoughts into
words
 Facilitating communication with statements or questions
 English only policy
 Interpreters for Patients
 Ensure proper feedback
 Follow up communications
 Be a good listener

Helpful Links

 https://
www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/e
motional-intelligence-eq.htm
 https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/str
ess-management.htm