Barriers to Effective Communication

We face challenging barriers to effective communication in the healthcare field. As our world becomes smaller, we are in constant contact with patients, colleagues, or consumers from culturally diverse backgrounds and we need to develop our skills to improve effective communication.

Using the South University Online Library, search the following articles:

• The Role of Nursing in Bridging the Gap between Managers and Physicians in Hospitals
• Improving Communication in the Health Care Setting

Based on your research, answer the questions below writing at least FIVEsentences per question in a Microsoft Word document. You need to think of a communication with a healthcare professional colleague to answer the following questions:

• What barriers to effective communication could occur with a health care professional colleague who is culturally diverse? How can these barriers affect patient outcome when effective communication is essential?
• What assumptions can you make about a healthcare professional colleague you do not know well? How can these assumptions impact your communication if your customs are different from your healthcare professional colleague’s customs and you do not understand their customs completely?
• How can you overcome language barriers or make assumptions not based on facts to increase team unity and motivation? How important is it for you to take responsibility and improve your cultural competence?

Now you need to think of a communication with a patient or a consumer and answer the following questions:

• What specific language barriers can result when you communicate with a patient or a consumer who speaks limited English? How can you gather information or educate when language barriers are present?
• How do you adjust to conflicting values or traditions from patients in a specific religion or culture? For example, patients who are Jehovah’s Witness religion may refuse blood products or other religions may not eat pork. How do you adjust dietary restrictions communicating in a collaborative manner with the dietary department?
• What are the benefits of a healthcare organization to provide cultural awareness and training for each employee to better understand and accept others? Does your current or past organization provide cultural awareness training? If not, what will be your recommendation to your management team?
• Select one culture other than your own and describe how this culture may deal with death and mourning.

Support your responses with examples.

Cite any sources in APA format.

References:

Kaissi, A. (2008). The role of nursing in bridging the gap between managers and
           physicians in hospitals. The Health Care Manager, 27(2), 113–117.

Ponte, C. D. (2011). Improving communication in the health care setting. American
           Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 68(8), 666–667.