Personal Professional Health Care Communication
The objective of this study is to write as though addressing a group of family caregivers, staff, and in-service training, nursing students in a pre-licensure program or peers. This work will discuss health care communication, the relevancy of effective personal health care communication with other health care professionals, clients, and patients and the relevancy of effective professional health care communication to health outcomes. This work will answer as to how the lack of effective personal and professional health care communications contributes to poor health outcomes as well as discussing the theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care settings for the health care professional.
Introduction
Health care communication is defined as encompassing "…the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health. It links the domains of communication and health and is increasingly recognized as a necessary element of efforts to improve personal and public health." (Healthy People, 2010 cited in: Boston University College of Communication & Metropolitan College, 2012) It is also defined as "The art and technique of informing, influencing, and motivating individual, institutional, and public audiences about important health issues" and "The scope of health communication includes disease prevention, health promotion, health care policy, and the business of health care as well as enhancement of the quality of life and health of individuals...
Relevance of Effective Personal Health Care Communication
The work of Nacinovich and Langdon-Neuner (2011) states that ongoing review "an appraisal of health communication initiatives has confirmed the value of adopting specific communication strategies to promote health and ultimately facilitate the processes in the prevention and
treatment of disease. Effective health communications strategies worldwide unite varied approaches, theories, and frameworks from a range of disciplines, including but not limited to communication,
public relations, behavioral sciences, social marketing, and
health education." (p.1) The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion in the United States reports that health communication is "the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that affect health." (in: Nacinovich and Langdon-Neuner, 2011, p.1) Therefore, it can be understood that the relevance of effective personal health care communication is in the improved outcomes of the individual in that the dissemination of information through health care communication enables the individual and the community to make better-informed decisions about health care. The goal of minimizing drug errors is stated to be an important aspect of health care communications and specifically in the areas of: (1) assessment; (2) identification of practical and psychological barriers; (3) encouraging patients to ask questions; (4) anticipating the information that patients will need to understand their medications; (5) encouraging patients to express their fears and concerns; (6) encouraging full disclosure to reveal potential safety issues; and (7) clear communication about
medication lessening the chance of errors. (JB Learning, nd) Communications are also important in improving the adherence behaviors of patients. (JB Learning, nd)
II. Lack of Effective Personal and Professional Health Care Communication and Poor Health Outcomes
The lack of effective personal and professional health…
