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Learn MoreBy Nicole Kraut RN
Effective communication is an essential component of quality health care. It is well known that there is a strong correlation between the communication skills of healthcare providers and patient health outcomes. Nurses are at the forefront of patient care; therefore, they are responsible for communicating patient information to any providers involved in a patient’s plan of care. It is essential to patient safety and outcomes that effective communication occurs between nurses and providers.
Why poor communication occurs
Poor communication between nurses and providers can occur for a variety of reasons, either intentionally or unintentionally. Healthcare can be very unpredictable, complicated, and stressful. Patient needs can arise unexpectedly and a patient’s condition can change very rapidly. The unpredictability and urgency that occurs when caring for patients can lead to unplanned communication between providers, which leads to a communication breakdown.
Too much info, too quickly
An example of a poor communication pattern that occurs during a stressful situation is when a provider provides as much information as possible, as quickly as possible. For example, a patient’s health is rapidly declining. The nurse phones the physician and quickly provides as much information as possible, such as vital signs, the patient’s history, medications given, and any events leading up to the patient’s current state. While all of this information is important for the provider to know, any lack of organization or logic to what the nurse is saying may cause the provider to lose attention and dismiss the nurse’s concerns.
Hesitation due to power differential
Another poor communication pattern that occurs is when a nurse is hesitant to ensure their concerns are being heard and acted on. Unfortunately, a culture of hierarchy and power differential between nurses and physicians still exists in many institutions. If a nurse makes a recommendation or brings an issue to the attention of the physician, and their recommendation or concern is dismissed, many nurses many not feel comfortable repeating themselves.
The impact of poor communication
Poor communication between nurses and other health care providers can have a significant negative effect on patient safety, quality of care, patient outcomes, and patient as well as staff satisfaction. An organization should ensure several interventions are in place in order to ensure effective communication between health care providers. Leaders should promote an organizational culture which is patient centered and focused on safety. In addition, leaders should be supportive of open communication and promote the use of communication tools between health care providers. Once interventions are in place to break down the patterns of poor communication, safe, patient centered care can occur.
About the Author
Nicole Kraut is a nurse working in Chicago, Illinois, who writes for us regularly about her experiences as an early-to-mid career nurse. She has been a RN for over five years.
Nicole graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University Chicago and recently obtained a Master of Science in Nursing with an Emphasis in Nursing Education from Grand Canyon University. She “was inspired to become a nurse because I wanted to work in a career field in which I could make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. I feel nursing is my vocation and am passionate about sharing my knowledge and experience in order to positively influence others.”
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Contact HealthStream to speak to a solutions expert learn more about our courses related to Healthcare Professional Training.HealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceBe confident in your staff’s ability to reduce risk by providing compliance training that changes behavior.
View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsStandardize policy and procedure management with an automated, customized, and centralized system.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
View All ProductsHealthStream offers professional training and education on how to best optimize your reimbursement process within your healthcare organization.
View All ReimbursementStreamline the revenue cycle management process and protect your bottom line with expert-backed education.
View All ProductsExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ProductsUnlocking the full potential of clinicians goes beyond aspiration – it’s a commitment we embody. Our competency development solutions help personalize learning for every clinician so you can confidently bridge the gap between theory and practice for your nurse residents while meeting the unique development needs of your seasoned clinician.
View All ProductsEnhance maternal & child nursing care with solutions focused on improving the quality of care for mothers, infants, and children.
View All ProductsAddress staffing challenges, standardize orientation and onboarding, and deliver an effective training program for your team to easily achieve and maintain certification with our critical, emergency, and acute care solutions.
View All ProductsWe understand the critical importance of earning and maintaining your patients' trust in the delivery of exceptional sedation and surgical outcomes. As a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to empowering you in promoting safer, more successful outcomes for each and every patient, without exception.
View All ProductsOur solutions are meticulously designed to cater to the diverse needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations. Within this innovative framework, we have curated specialized subsets of solutions aimed at addressing the ever-evolving challenges faced by individuals dealing with illnesses or chronic conditions.
View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare workforce management is essential. We provide advanced scheduling solutions for organizations to solve issues such as nurse retention
View All ProductsComprehensive, industry-leading provider onboarding and credentialing software that validate health outcomes and support provider assessment.
View All CredentialingOur affordable CVO credentialing services establish patient safety by enabling primary source verification for your healthcare organization.
View All ProductsIntegrate with Epic to validate and add new providers directly to your provider master file.
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