Developing Effective Communication in Health and Social Care
Unit 1: Developing Effective Communication in Health and Social Care
P3
There are a number of barriers to effective communication in health and social care. One of these is environment. If the environment gets in the way of effective communication, then the receiver may not understand the message that is being given to them. An example of environmental factors in a health and social setting would be a busy hospital being uncomfortably busy or loud. If a patient is in a busy ward and cannot relax due to excessive noise, phones ringing and people bustling in and out, they will not be able to relax or get any proper rest, which will affect their recovery.
There can also be problems and barriers created by assumptions. If two people are having to communicate professionally, for example a GP and a patient in a doctor's surgery; and they have a lot of differences as individuals this may hinder communication. If the GP is highly qualified and highly paid due to this, they may then live in an upmarket area and lead a very comfortable life. If the doctor's surgery is situated in a different area, and the GP is treating people of a lower social class, they could assume things unfairly about each other. Also, slang and colloquialism may get in the way of communicating effectively.
If someone has a sensory impairment, extra methods of communication will have to be used. This is a barrier, however it is easy to overcome if dealt with correctly and professionally. If somebody who was blind turned up for a hospital appointment, there will always be the use of Braille, in the doorways and lifts especially. When speaking to somebody who is visually impaired, you should always use a friendly and helpful tone of voice, and if necessary touch to let them know you are listening to them and concentrating on the conversation. If somebody has a hearing impairment, the professional who they are working with should either be fluent in British Sign Language (BSL) and if they are
P3
There are a number of barriers to effective communication in health and social care. One of these is environment. If the environment gets in the way of effective communication, then the receiver may not understand the message that is being given to them. An example of environmental factors in a health and social setting would be a busy hospital being uncomfortably busy or loud. If a patient is in a busy ward and cannot relax due to excessive noise, phones ringing and people bustling in and out, they will not be able to relax or get any proper rest, which will affect their recovery.
There can also be problems and barriers created by assumptions. If two people are having to communicate professionally, for example a GP and a patient in a doctor's surgery; and they have a lot of differences as individuals this may hinder communication. If the GP is highly qualified and highly paid due to this, they may then live in an upmarket area and lead a very comfortable life. If the doctor's surgery is situated in a different area, and the GP is treating people of a lower social class, they could assume things unfairly about each other. Also, slang and colloquialism may get in the way of communicating effectively.
If someone has a sensory impairment, extra methods of communication will have to be used. This is a barrier, however it is easy to overcome if dealt with correctly and professionally. If somebody who was blind turned up for a hospital appointment, there will always be the use of Braille, in the doorways and lifts especially. When speaking to somebody who is visually impaired, you should always use a friendly and helpful tone of voice, and if necessary touch to let them know you are listening to them and concentrating on the conversation. If somebody has a hearing impairment, the professional who they are working with should either be fluent in British Sign Language (BSL) and if they are