Every step starts with communication. To make an idea work, you must communicate with your teammate. An excellent outcome is a result of effective communication. In the Healthcare field, along with medical and technical proficiency, this is a must in order to provide the best quality of patient care. Through communication, we build trust in our patients so they are not worried and scared about their condition or the treatment process that will be going into. In this blog, we will tackle the power and importance of communication in the Healthcare field, how to overcome language barriers effectively, the uses of non-verbal communication with your team and patients and build great relationships through communication.
How to Overcome Language Barrier in the Healthcare Field
In every field and area, the language barrier is always a challenge due to our differences in nationality, and fluency in a certain language. In the Healthcare field, most of the medical terms, apparatus, diagnosis, and many more are in English. We need to relay this important information to our patients effectively to avoid confusion and reluctance on their end. We can use the help of interpreters on this matter as this will be the most effective and direct approach for this specific challenge. The term and meaning being conveyed is translated correctly. One good solution if you do not have your resident translator in your workplace is through the use of translation apps but expect that it is not always accurate. The language barrier is very crucial because one wrong information inaccurately relayed might result in distrust between you and your patient.
How to Effectively Communicate Verbally and Non-Verbally
As the saying goes, “… to be a good speaker, be a good listener.” In the aspect of Healthcare, this is always applicable. We should always listen to our colleagues, most especially our patients. Knowing their thoughts, feelings, and worries about their current situation is always important because that is the area that we will be working on to lessen their worries while explaining their condition and treatment procedure. The use of empathy is always effective every time we communicate with them because it will help them feel that they are not alone in this situation, and they can always rely on us and our expertise. For patients that have different ethnicities and cultures, we Healthcare Professionals should be culturally sensitive and not invalidate their views and opinions about modern Healthcare procedures, and technology.
Related: Unity in Diversity: The Vital Role of Cultural Competence in the Healthcare Environment
Empower Your Patients by Communicating with Them
As always, never expect good patient outcomes all the time; always be ready for bad news. Communicating this to your patients is probably one of the toughest challenges to do as a Healthcare Professional. Different kinds of emotions will definitely come after next so we must be careful and more sensitive on this part. Though we need to impart this important information, we should always empower them by effectively communicating because if we connect with them successfully, there is still hope and a high chance for good patient outcomes.
The key to a good and positive outcome in Healthcare starts and ends with effective communication. Conducting training and education for this soft skill is always important as it also helps your Healthcare Professionals to improve professionally.
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