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Factors affecting communication in healthcare
Factors affecting communication in healthcare
How to promote communication in health care
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Description
During March 2016, in Stage 1 of the pharmacy degree, I attended a two day work placement in a community pharmacy as part of the Work Based Learning module within the Capability unit. The purpose of Work Based Learning is to increase engagement with learning and to develop skills specific to patient pathways. This will link to Stage 4 of the MPharm course in which the main unit is Patient Centred Care. Therefore, it is imperative that I enhance my patient education skills through my own education.
In one particular circumstance, on the second and final day of my placement, a patient entered the pharmacy to collect their prescription items. As the patient came in, the pharmacist told me that I would be responsible for giving the
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In this instance, I will reflect on how the incident aided my learning. I will also look at how effectively I educated the patient.
Thoughts and Feelings
When the pharmacist I was working with asked me to give the patient counselling points I felt nervous. The reason I felt nervous was because I had never given a patient counselling points so I was unsure how to proceed. However, through the Prescription Processing module in the FS4 unit of Stage 1, I knew what counselling points constituted of; I just hadn’t given them to a patient directly before.
Due to my uncertainty, I asked the pharmacist for some tips on how to proceed. He said to use simple language and tell the patient the medication’s dose and frequency, as well as how long to take it for. He also said to mention the cautions and side effects, and which side effects would require coming back to see the pharmacist or the patient’s GP. I was also told to mention any interactions (i.e. if alcohol interacts with the drug to cause drowsiness then avoid driving). These points are in accordance with the NHS’s Patient Counselling and Consultation Skills (2014). Having a mental checklist of what to do improved my confidence when it came to talking to the patient, therefore making me feel less
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I found the feedback the pharmacist gave me to be most effective in educating me and improving my clinical skills. The pharmacist’s comment about my lack of non-verbal communication was especially relevant. Mehrabian’s (1981) research shows that 55% of meaning is in facial expression, 7% in spoken words and 38% in tone of voice. Therefore, for more effective communication and patient education it is important that my body language is engaging and appropriate to the situation.
Stage 2 of Kolb’s 1984 four-stage Experiential Learning Model, involves reflective observation of an experience. The cycle treats reflection as an imperative part of learning. Upon reflection of the patient counselling scenario, I have realised that actually experiencing an event, rather than simply observing, has proven effective in my learning. This is supported by Bonwell and Eison (1991) who discuss how active learning is important in aiding student education.
Discussion Topics: What are some ways to make education patient-centered? Why does patient education need to be documented?
The purpose of this essay is to reflect and critically study an incident from a clinical setting whilst using a model of reflection. This will allow me to analyse and make sense of the incident and draw conclusions relating to personal learning outcomes. The significance of critical analysis and critical incidents will briefly be discussed followed by the process of reflection using the chosen model. The incident will then be described and analysed and the people involved introduced. (The names of the people involved have been changed to protect their privacy) and then I will examine issues raised in light of the recent literature relating to the incident. My essay will include a discussion of communication, interpersonal skills used in the incident, and finally evidence based practice. I will conclude with explaining what I have learned from the experience and how it will change my future actions.
- Education and training targeted at improving front line workers’ medication practices are widely applied. Evidence shows that self-directed learning does not appear to have an impact on reducing errors but simulation-based exercises and clinical pharmacist-led training are more effective at this (Keers, Williams, Cooke, Walsh & Ashcroft, 2014 [1]; Lapkin et al., 2016
...using words your patient is used to and will understand. Clarify your message with body language, tone of voice, facial expression touch and gestures.
A key technique current and nurses in learning can use is reflection based on past experiences. This method of critical thinking enables the user to have an approach of systematic analysis for present and future scenarios with the intent of improvement. In terms of knowing, reflection has appeared to be a crucial part of learning and understanding. (Bonis, 2009).
... for every pharmacist. This ratio dictates that pharmacists can not oversee every aspect of technicians’ jobs. It is this singular fact that very few people realize. The pharmacy technician who receives no formal training is responsible for not just the delivery of a patient’s medication, but also for their bill, their confidential information, and their life. The question now is, how can an uneducated individual be given so much responsibility? Technicians are granted these responsibilities because a pharmacist can not do the job alone. Pharmacists strive to mold each new technician into an employee that will realize what technicians really do. Pharmacists and technicians provide patients with safe and accurate medication in a timely manner. This is not a task for pharmacists or technicians alone; it is task that requires both personnel in order to be accomplished.
Reflection is a significant component of pre-registration education (Davis et al.2000). Hillard (2006) claims that for practitioners to learn from an experience they need to go beyond description and should reflect on their experiences in practice as this could potentially uncover any underlying influences, motivations and knowledge. Reflecting on an experience could then be identified as a process to bridging the gap between theory and practice (Bulman & Schutz, 2004).
In the provision of a high quality care, many factors influence the way it is provided; however, IC is crucial. A healthy work environment would result from open communication among the staff, it would increase the employees and patients’ level of satisfaction and sense of well-being. Good communication is the cornerstone for the IC, it is a complex process which requires to develop some skills to learn how to transmit some information. One of the most common factors leading to medical errors, are due to miscommunication, sometimes because the message is not clearly sent, and others because it is not clearly received or it is misunderstood (Danna, 2015). In terms of communication non-verbal communication must be taken into consideration as well; body language, facial expressions, use of space, and touch, entail conscious or unconscious movements and gestures, also impacts the communication among the staff and
Reflection has its importance in clinical practice; we always seek to be successful and that can be achieved by learning every day of our life through experiences we encounter. In that way we can reconsider and rethink our previous knowledge and add new learning to our knowledge base so as to inform our practice. Learning new skills does not stop upon qualifying; this should become second nature to thinking professionals as they continue their professional development throughout their careers (Jasper, 2006). According to Rolfe et al. (2001), reflection does not merely add to our knowledge, it also challenges the concepts and theories by which we try to make sense of that knowledge. Acquiring knowledge through reflection is modern way of learning from practice that can be traced back at least to the 1930s and the work of John Dewey, an American philosopher and educator who was the instigator of what might be called ''discovery learning'' or learning from experience. He claimed that we learn by doing and that appreciating what results from what we do leads to a process of developing knowledge, the nature and importance of which then we must seek to interpret (Rolfe et al., 2001).
If a patient is confused or thinking of altering their medication regimen the nurse and/or physician should be informed
When a patient has been to a consultation it is vital for the GP to receive basic information quickly. This must include accurate details of drugs prescribed and when a particular drug should be stopped, if it is meant to be short term.
Help improved my clinical skills and professional development, made me proactive and thus have learnt that reflection is an important tool for student nurse to improve on their practice.
I pleased to apply to the PharmD program as the program is one area that corresponds to my career dreams. Being part of this program gives one the opportunity to gain an excellent experience in working and collaborating with various health care providers in the ward. But more importantly, it facilitates a practical environment in dealing more closely with patients. Hence, it helps to provide the ultimate health care services to patients. Also, it permits me to carry on gaining different knowledge, skills, and values in addition to those I have already developed during my undergraduate studies. My interest in being a clinical pharmacist was first aroused during my SPEP rotation in the hospital setting where I was really impressed with the role of clinical pharmacists who provide a consistent process of patient care with healthcare teams to maintain the appropriateness, effectiveness and safety of the medication use. Unlike a pharmacist, a clinical pharmacist has a more diversified responsibilities and closeness to direct patient care. Moreover, provides
Everyone has a different view on how they learn and learning itself. First starting in EXP 105, my understanding of learning was new knowledge and becoming wiser. Taking EXP 105 has truly increased my knowledge of what learning is and the process of it. The most important thing I have learned about learning is that you observe the world around you, make sure it is understandable, and figure out the right way to respond. Learning also provides critical thinking skills. Everyone have different ways of learning and those ways are based on four different learning patterns. The four different types of learning patterns are Sequence, Precision, Technical Reasoning, and Confluence. Learning patterns are very helpful when it comes to everyday life, school work, and your job. Knowing your learning patterns and which ones you should use make
Secondly, they advise their patients in assuring the appropriate use of medications. It is important to tell the patient about the name of the drug, what is it for, when to take the drug, how many times per day, whether it should be taken before meals, after meals or with meals, the method of taking the drug and its side effects and possible drug-drug interactions. (Swanson, 2005)