Foundations of
Communication
Foundations of Communication
• Communication is the act of
transmitting
– Exchange of information using words
– Includes both the spoken and written word
– A process by which information is
exchanged between individuals through a
common system of symbols, signs, or
behavior
Why Communicate?
• Establish and maintain relationships
• To persuade and change attitudes or
behavior
• Develop an understanding of other
people
• Problem solve
Verbal Communication in Health Care
• Interactions with patients, families and
co-workers
• Giving reports to other health care
professionals
• Documenting patient care
Elements of Communication Process
• Message – verbal or nonverbal stimuli
• Sender – creator of message
• Receiver – If there is no one to receive
the message, communication is
incomplete
Message
• Use terms that the receiver can
understand
• Medical terms must be modified or
defined
Sender
• Deliver message in a clear and concise
manner
– good grammar
– correct pronunciation
– avoid slang
– not too fast or too slow
• Written communication should have
correct grammar, spelling and
punctuation
Receiver
• Must be able to hear and
receive the message
• Interruptions or distractions
must be avoided
Two Types of Communication
Verbal Communication
• includes verbal messages –
speaking to someone and
•
written communication
Nonverbal communication
•
all messages that are not expressed
as words.
- eye contact: shows that you are
paying attention
- facial expressions: can relay a
different message than what you
are saying
-
Gestures: convey interest and
a lack of interest; can be
used to emphasize or get
attention
- touch: can convey caring,
warmth, concern and
tenderness…can also convey
anger, rejection and distaste
Barriers to Effective Communication
• Defense mechanisms
– Compensation – substitution of one goal
for another goal to achieve success
– Denial – refusal to believe
– Displacement of anger – feelings about one
person are transferred to another
– Projection – blame for one’s behavior is
placed on someone else or circumstances
– Rationalization – use of a reasonable
excuse for one’s behavior
Barriers in Health Care Communication
– Heavily medicated clients
– Slang and words with double
meanings
– Clients with limited English
– Medical Terminology
– Mental or physiological condition
– Patients with visual or hearing
impairment
Clients with hearing or visual
impairments
• Use body language such as gestures or
signs
• Speak clearly in short sentences
• Face the person you are speaking o
• Write out messages
• Make use hearing aid are working
properly
• Don’t chew gum or cover mouth
Impaired Vision
• Describe things which are happening
and what you want the person to do
• Announce your presence as you enter a
room
• Use touch to orient the person to where
you are
• Do not move things without telling the
person
• Tell the person when you are leaving
Effective Communication
• Verbal messages must be clear,
complete, concise, courteous, and
cohesive
• Nonverbal communication (body
language) may change the message
Effective Listening
• Involves both hearing and interpreting
messages
• Requires focusing on body language
and the message being sent
• May be passive or active
– Active listening is very important in the
medical profession to gather information
( for example, when interviewing a patient
for their medical history.
A Patient-centered Approach
• You want to admit an elderly lady with
abdominal pain for a series of investigations,
but she is resistant to coming into hospital.
Indicate which of the following reasons might
account for this.
1. She is frightened that she is seriously ill.
2. She does not like to leave her cat on its
own.
3. She is vegetarian and is worried that she
won’t be able to eat hospital food .
4. She does not want anyone to know that she
snores.
5. She cannot afford a new nightgown.
Answer:
• Any one of the reasons could
explain the lady’s resistance to
being admitted.
Conveying a Positive Attitude
• Health care professionals must be
aware of their own bias and attitudes
when sending and receiving both verbal
and nonverbal messages to avoid
interfering with quality client care
Positive Attitude
• Receiver must have trust in the sender
before they accept a message
• If a patient feels a health care
professional does not know what they
are talking about, they may not accept
the information or treatment
Positive Attitude
• Be willing to say “I don’t know, but
I will find that information for you”
when asked a question for which
you do not have knowledge.
• Clinicians should aim to keep explanations as clear
and as concise as possible.
• That doesn’t mean dismissing patients with a short
‘We will need to test your urine’. It means giving
them the information they want but not more
information than they need or require.
• So ‘I’d like to test your urine so I can see if the
problems you are having are due to an infection' is
better than ‘I want to test your urine for white blood
cells and bacteria’.
• use ‘layman’s terms’ wherever possible
• explain medical terminology whenever possible
• keep words and sentences short
• check understanding by asking