Essay Sample on Communication Challenges In Healthcare

Hospitals require effective communication among physicians to enhance patients safety (Hughes, 2008). Clinicians, nurses, technicians and other healthcare professionals collaborate to provide quality care to the patients. The lack of proper communication leads to a situation of medical errors. The errors have the potential to cause death or injury to the client. Medical errors have been listed by the joint communication to be one of the tops the causes of patients in healthcare facilities (Hughes, 2008). Additionally, for the better outcome in treatments patients need to communicate to facilitate the process actively. However, due to some cases, this may be impossible for instance due to the sedatives and endotracheal intubation (Kleinpell et al., 2099). The paper shall focus on the challenges in communication that healthcare providers experience while dispensing their services and how to improve it for the benefit of the patients.

There was a time in the hospital in the hospital I was part of the team working on a patient who was having internal bleeding after a tragic accident. Unfortunately, one of the operators in the room was a colleague whom we had collided a few days earlier. After the successful operation, I noticed that they had forgotten a piece of cotton inside the patient and the alternative was to operate and remove it. I told him, but he said that I was just up to annoy him and that he could not have forgotten any such material inside the patients body. I was certain but putting our differences first before patients life he ignored what I was saying. After two days the patient complained of severe pain in the operated area, and we had to perform a test, and it was proven that there was a piece of cotton left inside. That is the moment is realized conflict can hinder effective communication and rational thinking, which contributed to a medical error.

Some of the strategies to help solve such a situation are to provide the patient a chance to communicate during and after treatment. For instance, the sedated patient whose ability to communicate has been compromised by the drug can be given an opportunity to communicate either verbally or non-verbally to share their experience or concern (Kleinpell et al., 2099). In my experience above the patient might have reported after the surgery that there was a strange feeling inside on the operated are, which could have been used as the foundation for addressing the issue. For conflicts at the workplace, facilities can formulate professional work ethics that keep the healthcare providers from letting their differences from affecting performance (Ramsay, 2001). There can be by-laws that govern their conduct while serving patients.

The tools discussed in the articles are vital and can help me in future challenges as a healthcare provider. Due to poor communication, we risk the life of a patient as the cotton was left inside his body. My colleague almost lost his job, and I got a warning concerning my conduct due to poor communication. For this reason, I believe proper communication is important among colleagues, in improving patients experience during treatment. Having a team leader guiding a group can help facilitate order and communication. Work ethics can also be used to promote communication among colleagues working in on patients

In conclusion, communication between a patient and health provider, and between a provider and another provider, determines the outcome of a patient under treatment. Effective communication reduces the occurrence medical errors that risk injury and death on patients.

References

Hughes, R. G. (2008). Chapter 33: Professional Communication and Team Collaboration. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses.

Kleinpell, R. et al., (2099). Improving Communication in the ICU. Retrieved June 27, 2017, from http://respiratory-care-sleep-medicine.advanceweb.com/Article/Improving-Communication-in-the-ICU-6.aspxRamsay, M. A. (2001). Conflict in the health care workplace. Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center), 14(2), 138.