Patient Centered Communication

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Professional communication is an important skill required form nurses, midwifes and other health professionals to ensure the safety of patients. In the context of health, communication is a two-way interaction process which involves both patients and healthcare staff to ensure the safety of patients is not in jeopardy. Professional communication includes speaking to patients verbally and non-verbally as well as hearing them in return. This does not only ensure that medical information, instructions, treatments and recommendations, are appropriately, accurately, correctly, clearly, and coherently delivered in timely manner, but also it does consider patient’s feelings, concerns and safety. In the context of patient safety, this essay will explain …show more content…

Patient centred care includes listening to patients, informing them about their overall health status and involving them in the decisions related to their care (Levett- Jones, Gilligan, et al., 2014). The strategy of having patients at the centre of communication is crucial to guide all clinical decisions to achieve the most effective health outcomes (Levett- Jones, Gilligan, et al., 2014). In the contemporary health systems, communicating in a patient centered way adds several advantages to both healthcare systems and patients’ safety. It helps to guide medical assessments, planning and provision of adequate treatment to patients. In the United States, for instance, it has been demonstrated that communicating in a patient centered way with the client has the potential to significantly reduce the length of hospitalisation, decrease healthcare costs, lower mortality rate and improve the management of chronic diseases (Gluyas, 2015). This approach also reduces patients' anxiety, fears and concerns and allows them to feel safe, involved, empowered, self-controlled and confident to provide sensitive health details, such as symptoms, fears and concerns, which aids health professionals to understand the whole picture about the patients and respond to their needs and preferences adequately to ensure patients safety (Levett- Jones, Oates, et al., 2014). According to nursing standards of practice and ethics, all nurses must communicate appropriately in such manner that respects the individuals’ culture, values, rights and preferences to build trust and therapeutic relationship (NMBA, 2016b). In order to gain patients' trust, it is essential for nurses and midwifes to have knowledge about how to professionally address patients' needs, feelings and concerns with empathy, kindness, clarity, consideration and respect in order to achieve satisfactory health

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