This is our 6th installment in our blog series for healthcare professionals.
Healthcare is both an art and a science and healthcare professionals need to be proficient in both aspects. They require the education and the training to understand and diagnose ailments, but they also need the interpersonal skills to collaborate with their fellow staff members and act as a team; and more importantly interact with their patients and provide a caring ear and a warm heart. When healthcare professionals exercise active listening, empathy, and effective communication skills, they create a positive patient experience. Patients feel heard, understood, and cared for. When this occurs, and patients feel both seen and heard, they will have a more positive experience that will aid in their recovery.
Doctors, nurses, and staff who possess strong interpersonal skills can create better patient experiences and outcomes and the risk of low workplace morale decreases substantially. Empathy allows for staff to better understand and relate to their patients. It encourages the patients to share more regarding their conditions. Communication skills are critical to learning about patients and delivering the most effective treatments possible. And that turning of the caring ear to a stressed co-worker does wonders for employee morale. With understaffing and high levels of employee burnout, natural compassion may be sacrificed; but remember, compassion is the cornerstone of the health professions. Time must be taken to pause and move it back into the forefront of all interactions in the profession.
For our purposes, interpersonal communication can be defined as the exchange of information, thoughts, and emotions between individuals. In healthcare settings, it’s the foundation upon which relationships between medical professionals and patients are built. This includes verbal skills, which pertain to the messages we send to others through our words. Equally, if not more significant are nonverbal skills, encompassing facial expressions, eye contact, and body language. These dictate how we communicate, shaping individuals’ reactions and responses, even before words are spoken. When we are rushed, their importance can be overlooked, and miscommunication is often the result. Or, in the instance of a patient who is not proficient in the care-givers native language, non-verbal communication will be relied on even more strongly. It is imperative that those skills are sharp and the caregivers are adept at reading others.
Keen interpersonal communication serves as a bridge that connects the science of medicine with the art of compassion. Clear and concise communication enhances patient satisfaction, ensures accurate diagnoses, and contributes to the overall effectiveness of treatment plans. Moreover, effective communication reduces the likelihood of medical errors resulting from misunderstandings which can be rampant in many healthcare settings. Similarly, the science of medicine- with its many specializations and complex jargon, can be intimidating to a patient. With sharpened communication skills and a prowess in non-verbal communication, patients can be put at ease and the complex may be translated in a message they are better able to comprehend and accept.
Active listening is a key component of effective interpersonal communication in healthcare. It involves fully engaging with the speaker, showing genuine interest, and responding thoughtfully. When healthcare providers practice active listening, patients feel valued and understood, which in turn, fosters trust and cooperation. Coupled with active listening, empathy, meaning the ability to share the emotions of another person, particularly in stressful situations is of utmost importance. Healthcare professionals who exhibit empathy can step into the patient’s shoes and provide comfort and reassurance. This connection goes beyond the medical aspect of care, addressing the emotional needs of patients, where they can feel safe and may heal.
These communication skills are just as important when interacting with co-workers. Solid communication among staff decreases the likelihood of errors and promotes team behavior with the best interest of the patients as the goal. Fewer details will fall between the cracks, thus reducing liability for the facility. If employees enjoy their co-workers, have friends at work and care about their best interests, they will be less likely to be absent and much more likely to return in a timely manner should they become ill or hurt and unable to work. Communication can create optimism and bonds that foster strength and professional satisfaction.
And let us not forget the employee themselves. If they are equipped with the tools, they need to be an ideal practitioner in their trade as well as a kind and compassionate co-worker, they will be valued both personally and professionally. This will increase job satisfaction and personal feelings of accomplishment. By having a refresher in interpersonal communication skills, an employee with be given an opportunity to strengthen all relationships that transgress their lives- both personal and professional.