¶ … Assertive Communication
Effective Communication
The Benefits of Assertive Communication and the Importance of Interpersonal Relationships in the Health Care Industry
There is a large body of evidence that effective communication between healthcare workers their patients and their peers can have a significant influence on patient outcomes. According to study published in Issues in Medical Nursing (Kameg, Mitchell, Clochesy, Howard & Suresky, 2009) breakdowns in communication increasingly result in incidents that put patients in jeopardy. The average time a patient actually spends in a hospital is shorter than ever before while the number of healthcare professionals required to facilitate medical care for an individual patient is increasing. Often healthcare professionals experience anxiety and lack the confidence to openly and candidly express themselves. The importance of healthcare professionals acquiring the skills and creating the interpersonal relationships to effectively communicate with patients, their families and other healthcare providers cannot be underestimated.
Effective communication encompasses collecting information, establishing a relationship or connection with a patient and other stakeholders, and supporting others through words and non-verbal interactions. Communication can be defined as a meaningful exchange of information through messages. Every communication follows a step-by step process among six elements: sender, message, channel, audience, feedback, and context. The basic forms of communication are oral, written, formal, informal, and nonverbal....
Research shows that organizations that have open communication where information not only flows downward from someone who hold a senior position, but also upward where employees feel free to express opinions, offer suggestions, and even voice complaints, have the following characteristics. 1) Employees are valued - employees are happier and more motivated when they feel they are valued and their opinions are heard. 2) A high level of trust exists - telling the truth maintains a high level of trust; this forms the foundation for open communication and employee motivation and retention. 3) Conflict is invited and resolved positively -- without conflict, innovation and creativity are suppressed. 4) Creative descent is welcome -- by expressing unique ideas, employees feel they have contributed to the company and improved performance. 5) Employee input is solicited -- the key to any organizations success is input from employees which establishes a sense of involvement and improves working relations. 6) Employees are well informed -- employees are kept informed about what is happening within the organization. 7) Feedback is ongoing -- both positive and negative feedback must be ongoing and provided in a manner that builds relationships rather than assigns blame (Kurtz, 2010).
Defensive relationships develop when people perceive they are under attack. Terrance Doyle (2004) in his book Communication Unbound asserts negative criticism and contemptuous attitudes produce defensive reactions. A person who is defensive devotes a significant amount of time and energy to self-protection. When defensive responses arise…
Communication Media Assertive Communicators Communication is a course of action in which the information, ideas, thoughts, feelings, emotions, opinions and knowledge are exchanged between two or more people. This meaningful interaction can be in the form of speech, signals, writing, or behavior. This two-way interaction is an integral process not only in the on a daily basis but is equally significant at the workplace, as it helps elevating the communication gap (Wood
This is thought to be negative reinforcement. Oftentimes various manipulative strategies may be used. One of these is impression management. This is where one tries to make one's side look good. Authority involves stating one's right to make a decision. Emotion involves making an emotional display to get one's way (Families and Family Decision Making, 2008). I think that negotiation is the best method. This allows everyone to have their
(Behavior Management Themes, 2007) The basic rights of teacher in their classrooms include: (1) the right to establish optimal learning environments; (2) the right to request and express appropriate behavior; and (3) the right to receive help from administrators and parents as needed. (Behavior Management Themes, 2007) the basic rights of students in the classroom include: (1) the right to have teachers who help limit self-destructing behavior; and (2) the
Power and influence are important concepts in leadership and management because they are intertwined. In essence, it's impossible for a leader to influence his/her followers without power, which is crucial in getting things done and accomplishing specified goals. The close link between these two concepts is also evident in the fact that power can be defined as the capability to influence others (Lunenburg, p.1). As a result, the effective use
Email was found to be a key culprit in the development of cultural misunderstandings among a diverse group of online users (Rainey, 2000). Stereotypes were found to interfere with online communication, and enhance the potential for cultural misunderstandings (Leidner, 1999). Navigation design, visual design, and information design had an effect on trust that varied among different cultures viewing a website (Cyr, 2008). This research suggests a need for culturally relevant
Nurses and Communication Nurses play an important role in the care of patients with critical illnesses and patients that are sedated. Communicating with patients that are critically ill and sedated can be a huge challenge for nurses. This challenge exists because critically ill and sedated patients are sometimes not in a position to make decisions for themselves. For the critically ill, there are added stressors and the patient may be very aware