Question:
In this essay, identify key characteristics that make communication effective and what barriers are to communication.
In your written essay, consider the most appropriate theories for communication in Health and Social Care Settings.
Reflect upon how communication skills were used during workshops/teaching sessions and role playing.
Communicate ideas through writing Reflective account
Demonstrate proficiency in Windows applications and basic computer functions.
Answer to Question: G56A12 Information Technology
Introduction
Communication is an integral component of daily functioning in any domain.
Effective communication is essential in the health- and social care industry.
As a social and health care worker, professionals need to have good communication skills in order for them to establish relationships and share relevant information with the service users.
People can easily communicate their concerns and requirements through proper communication.
Professionals must understand the elements of effective communication and the best ways to show them.
This essay will discuss key characteristics that enable effective communication in the health and social services domains.
It would also be possible to discuss theoretical concepts that can relate to communication within a health or social care setting.
Furthermore, reflections on personal and professional experiences would be offered to illustrate the effects of effective communication relative to principles of care.
Body
Communication is the exchange or transmission of information using both verbal as well as nonverbal methods.
Communicating the intended meanings to an entity using mutually understood semiotic rules, signs and symbols is called communication.
Non-representational and non-intangible language is an essential part of human communication (Aveyard and Sharp 2013, respectively).
Moss (2017) elaborated on the importance of communication for health and social care.
Because of a variety reasons, communication is essential in care settings.
A care setting can communicate effectively using the various forms of communication.
Communication is essential for service users, staff, visitors, as well as other professionals, to create strong relationships that will ultimately lead to better patient outcomes.
Diverse relationships should be built with different communication forms to encourage diversity.
Respect is an integral part of communication for health and social services.
Care workers are able to communicate clearly and effectively with their patients.
Patients can feel that they are valued and cared for.
Communication can help patients meet their individual needs.
NHS over the past ten years has repeatedly highlighted the consequences of poor communication between care settings.
Their reports show that poor communication has caused patient mortality that could have been prevented.
This poor communication has been alarming as the most detrimental effect was due to inappropriate medication administration, which can lead to death.
Many problems have been identified in the exchange of information with the English health and social service system.
This has been due to the inability of any guideline to duplicate the communication methods that social and health care teams use.
Communication between organisations and within organizations in primitive is necessary to avoid cases of public emergency (Glasby 2017, p.
Naidoo and Wills (2016) outline some key elements of effective communication.
Effective communication is always a two way process. It is affected greatly by the context in which it takes places.
Effective communication also involves understanding the needs and relationships of the environment.
It’s about an entity having a conversation with another entity, in a way that allows the other entity to listen, understand and communicate back in a proper manner.
Communication isn’t always easy. This is why it is essential to make an effort to have meaningful conversations with other people to express their views and opinions.
A communication that is efficient allows ideas to flow and information to be shared between entities.
Effective communication can be defined as one who considers the language barriers, cultural backgrounds, and level-of confidence of the other person.
Communication is considered to be effective if positive influence is the result.
Effective communication can be achieved when people communicate with one another to accomplish a goal. 2011).
Communication is about building relationships with others and facilitating understanding between people (Moorhead and al. 2013).
Communication is when two or more people exchange information and messages in a continuous way. That’s what gives rise to the communication circle.
The first stage is where a person generates an ideas that are then coded with nonverbal and verbal language to create a message.
The third stage of the process is to communicate the message with another person.
The third stage is where the message is delivered to another person.
The next stage is the person who decodes and interprets the message.
The message must then be understood.
Once the message is understood, it is possible to continue the cycle if you receive no response.
Repetition of the communication cycles is an integral part of established relationships.
Both social and health workers use different methods of communication in their practice. Each method has its own advantages and challenges.
There are two types of communication: verbal and nonverbal. These can be used to communicate information about care, to support patients emotionally, or to make assessments of their care needs.
Verbal communication refers to the act of speaking to another person.
Care workers should have diverse communication skills in order to help patients with their questions, answer their complaints, assist them in meetings, evaluate patient needs, and pass information on to other professionals.
The communication cycle shows that verbal communication should be a two-way affair.
Non-verbal communications, on the other side, are the means of communicating ideas and perspectives without using words.
Communication can be done using gestures, touch and signs, posture, symbolism, eye contact, sign and symbol, gestures, gestures, head and hand movements, gestures, and eye contact (Thornton and al. 2011).Thompso et al.
(2011) provided a summative explanation on the contexts in which communication takes place.
According to the authors, communication could be informal or formal.
Formal communication is used for professional communication and is more precise.
These communications are the official forms of communication. They are precise and clear to avoid misunderstandings.
Informal communication on the other hand is casual communication that involves informal approaches using different expressions.
It is an informal communication style that is friendlier and more relaxed than traditional communication.
A care setting may allow for one-to-1 communication or group communciation.
Communication can also include one-to–one communication and group communication.
The former form of communication is when one person has contact with only one other person. This could be, for instance, one care worker talking to another care worker.
The second type of communication is when several individuals communicate in a group. For example, a team meeting, activity group or report handover meeting.
As a former care worker, I have had a variety of experiences that highlighted the importance communication in health care and social care.
One case involves Mr G’s care. He was a person with dementia who was admitted to the hospital with multiple needs.
His right hand had been fractured and he also had difficulty with mobility because of a long-term injury to his leg.
He also had a low level of engagement and was suffering from depression.
To fully understand the patient’s needs and respond accordingly, I recognized the importance in communicating with them.
I spent a lot of time with the patient, trying to establish a strong connection and gain his trust.
I established a plan of care for the patient, taking into account the patient’s physical and emotional needs.
I ensured that my voice was respectful and sympathetic.
Furthermore, I made sure my speech was coherent.
Mr G thanked for my support, as he was experiencing a higher quality of life. He also expressed satisfaction with my professional practice.
Many barriers can prevent communication between care workers and patients.
These factors hinder and block the ability of care workers to transmit, receive and comprehend messages.
Care workers need to overcome these barriers in order to provide quality care services.
Strategies include adaptation to the environment (Morgan, et al. 2017).
Conclusion
The benefits of communication in health care and social care are multifaceted and essential.
Professionals need to demonstrate good communication skills so that they can build relationships with service providers, families, as well as other professionals.
A care professional can help vulnerable patients who require a safe environment. This communication is also helpful for workers as it allows them to utilize tools to better understand the patient’s needs and provide the necessary support.
There are many styles of communication. One must choose one that suits the clinical situation.
Effective communication is not possible without overcoming obstacles and difficulties.
These should be avoided with different communication techniques that are suitable for the care environment.
Care professionals need to look back at their own experiences and think about how they can improve their communication skills by identifying their weaknesses.
Maximal resource usage is key to this end.
References
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