Effective Communication – A Crucial Skill for the Allied Health Science Students

Communication refers to the exchange of information between two or more people. It can occur through any of the following ways - verbal, non-verbal, written, electronic or a combination of any of the following. Any piece of communication has the basic components known as the elements of communication, which are, the communication trigger, sender, receiver, content, and the means of communication. As health professionals, we must master the art of effective communication as it forms a crucial part of our profession. We must communicate with our colleagues, peers, teachers, patients, other members of healthcare team, nurses, clerical staff, non-teaching staff, seniors, juniors, etc.

How to make our communication effective? Following is a list of few tips for effective communication.

1. Keep it simple, clear, and concise - Put across the key messages. Do not overburden the receiver with information which may dilute the key messages. For instance, regarding a procedure, convey the most important and necessary information only and not the detailed procedure with technical intricacies. Explain regarding the expectations from patient for better co-operation. Explain about the care and precautions to be taken by the patient.
2. Be a good listener - Allow the receiver to speak and complete. Do not cut them in between. This will avoid misconceptions and misunderstandings.
3. Respect the other person’s views/ perspectives - Something new can be learned from everyone. By respecting and understanding the other person’s views, we can correct ourselves many a times. None of us are perfect or always correct and this should be irrespective of the hierarchy.
4. Be polite and humble - This will take you a long way.
5. For longer conversations, give dedicated time and sit together - If in hurry, schedule later upon mutual agreement as per convenience.
6. In times of disagreement, explain your concerns politely - Remember, healthy argument is always beneficial. Keep your egos aside and prioritize the goal and outcomes like patient care.
7. Be wary of the people around you - When communicating about sensitive matters, failures, weaknesses, personal matters, be mindful of the place and people there. In the presence of other people, it is always better to address in general rather than a particular person.
8. Use a proper tone and body language - The positive or negative impact of our communication predominantly depends on the tone and body language. Use a neutral tone and be respectful. Maintain proper eye contact. Avoid looking into your phone while communicating.
9. Be prompt - Respect other’s time too. With respect to electronic communication, check your important mails regularly and respond within the stipulated time.
10. Take help from others when required - At times, we may not be able to communicate or may not be good at convincing or dealing with few issues. In such instances, take help of others, particularly from the people who could be better in tackling that matter. For instance, a senior technician at the phlebotomy center, who has been working for many years would be in a better position to deal with an agitated patient than a freshly passed out, newly joined technician.
11. Use a translator if required - To avoid language becoming a barrier for effective communication, use a translator
12. Be empathetic - While communicating, put yourself in the shoes of the other person and convey.
13. Don’t be in a hurry to finish - Give adequate time. Respond to their queries in a systematic and empathetic manner. 
14. Involve the other person in decision making - When there are alternate options available, explain all the options and allow the patient to take a decision.
15. Use the ISBAR model while handing over or at the time of change of duties or shifts.

I - Introduction

S - Situation

B - Background

A - Assessment

R - Recommendation

Introduce yourself. Explain the present situation. Give a brief overview of the background. Tell about your assessment of the present situation and then explain your recommendations for further up.

This acts as a checklist and prevents one from missing out transfer of major and crucial information. Thus, it is an effective tool in bridging or rather avoiding any communication gaps.

Communication is very crucial in every aspect in day-to-day work for all healthcare workers. Effective communication is the key for better outcomes and better patient care. It avoids and aborts many problems. Even smallest of the communication gaps can lead to serious consequences in patient management. So, work on your communication skills and be a good and effective communicator.

I thank the assistant editors, Dr. Arvind and Dr. Manjunath for their valuable inputs. I thank the Healthminds team for their assistance