Communication in a Hospital Setting - Essay Example

"Communication in a Hospital Setting" is a perfect example of a paper on the health system.
Effective communication between doctors and nurses ensures the hospital`s processes run smoothly from the emergency room to the intensive care unit. It is evident from the way hospital staff handle emergencies. They move swiftly to save lives and are in constant communication with each other with each person doing what is expected of them. Doctors need to consult each other over various issues affecting them and their patients. For example, seeking alternative input into a particular problem that a doctor might be experiencing.

            Patients and nurses need to be in good terms because it is the nurses’ job to administer the patients` medication. Nurses need the patients to trust them, and they do so by establishing regular communication with the patients. For example, while giving patients their medication, they should engage them in conversations on general issues that do not necessarily have a connection with their health. It shows the patients that they care and their positive outlook on life changes and their health starts to improve.

            Communication tools such as pagers are necessary for a hospital because they are quick and easy to use. They are small and portable. Every doctor and nurse should have one since it alerts them in cases of emergencies. Establishing a good communication network is essential in a hospital because it saves time that is used in consultations. For example, doctors and nurses can conduct a meeting using a video link instead of wasting much time in organizing and attending meetings.

            Due to the different ethnicities found in a hospital, it is important to have individuals who understand more than one language or an interpreter. It helps in breaking the language barrier within the hospital, and the patients can express themselves freely instead of suffering. A sign language interpreter is also useful in dealing with deaf patients who have a hard time expressing themselves. Doctors and nurses need to check their non-verbal communication because patients notice many things (Pizzorno, 2013). For example, a doctor explaining to a patient that he will get better with a blank expression on his face will make the patient discover he is being lied to, and his health might deteriorate.

            Good communication helps doctors and nurses express their opinions on various issues concerning the hospital. For example, how patient safety can be improved and how to improve the hospital`s service delivery. Effective communication between nurses and doctors reduces the risk of patient complications and deaths caused by prescribing the wrong medication from misinformed diagnosis. For example, ignoring to share vital information on a patient`s condition before a scheduled surgery, may lead to the surgeon operating on the wrong area, which can cause serious complications and in worse circumstances death.

            Doctors establish a healthy communication relationship with their patients. Constant communication with the patients establishes trust, and in turn, the patients are able to alert their doctors in case of any complications that might arise. Patients favor face-to-face communication (Parker, 2013). It is because they need assurance that their health will improve because it has been proven that doctors who engage in physical contact with their patients forge healthy relationships.