Person-Centred Communication Skills - Essay Example

University> By PERSON CENTRED COMMUNICATION SKILLS (REFLECTION) Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 2 BACKGROUND 3 REFLECTION MODEL 8 Description of the Scenario (what) 8 Analysis (the question so what) 9 Evaluation 12 Action plan (Now What) 13 CONCLUSION 14 REFERENCES 15 INTRODUCTION The report discusses Person-Centered Communication (PCC) skills, theories and related issues in the nursing profession. Some essential concepts and definitions are worth expounding before embarking on the detailed discussion. One of the most significant of these terms is communication. According to Lunenburg; “Communication is defined as the process of transmitting information and common understanding from one person to another person” (Lunenburg, 2010 pp.1). Thus, this is a clear indication that communication is all about the transfer of information that can be understood by the receiver. The second imperative term to define is person-centered communication. Health Innovation Network South London asserts that “Person-centered care is a way of thinking and doing things that see the people using health and social services as equal partners in planning, developing and monitoring care to make sure it meets their needs” (Lunenburg, 2010 pp.2). One of the primary reasons person-centered skills are encouraged in the nursing profession is because it is action-oriented. Nurses try as much as possible that they create a comfortable, caring, and supportive environment for the patients. Carl Rogers is one of the most appreciated psychologists who played a vital role in the development of theories concerning PCC. As such, PCC is aimed to address the personal needs of a particular patient based on their preferences and tastes (Ahmad, Ellins & Lawrie, 2014 pp.5). BACKGROUND Another definition of communication states that “Communication is a two-way process that results in a shared meaning or common understanding between the sender and the receiver” (Wright, 2012 pp.3). Thus, five primary elements of communication play a vital role creating a common understanding between the communicating parties. One of the most significant elements is the sender. The sender is crucial since he or she is responsible for initiating the communication. For effective communication, the sender must combine both verbal and nonverbal skills and techniques (Wright, 2012). For instance, in a healthcare facility the nurse probably wants to pass a message to the patient. One way in which this can be achieved is through speaking or writing. If the nurse chooses to use the method of speaking, he or she must also use other nonverbal techniques such as eye contact and proper usage of grammar. The second element of communication is a receiver. Such an individual or groups are the destination of the transmitted message. The receiver can use either verbal or non-verbal technique when communicating (Moon, 2009). As well, some specific skills are necessary for nursing to ensure that communication is effective. One of the most significant skill concerns listening (Arnold & Boggs, 2015). For instance, if a nurse is giving out some information, the patient should listen carefully and also make eye contact. This will be crucial in ensuring that the information transmitted is understood well. The third element of communication is the message and is the crucial component of any communication process. A healthcare facility can deliver messages in various ways. Some of the most common forms include written documents, advertisements, comments, or verbal messages. The fourth element is the channel of communication, and it guides the transmission process. The channel of communication connects the sender and the receiver. A nurse may use channels such as radio, internet, television or documents to reach the recipients. The final element of communication is the feedback, which represents the receiver’s response (Bach & Grant, 2009 pp.6). A patient may give feedback through asking questions or making comments. Feedbacks play a vital role in determining the extent of understanding and interpretation of the message received. Communication plays a vital role in the nursing profession. Firstly, it enables the nurses to expresses key information clearly in a manner that can be easily understood by the patients (Saha & Beach, 2011). As well, it enables them to build stronger relationships with the patients and the management. Numerous definitions have been formulated to explicate the term person-centered care in healthcare. One of the most significant definitions states that Patient-Centered Communication (PCC) is an approach that treats the patient as a unique individual by addressing patient’s particular needs concerning their preferences and values (Levinson et al. 2010). Another common definition states that “Person-centered care is a way of thinking and doing things that see the people using health and social services as equal partners in planning, developing and monitoring care to make sure it meets their needs” (Ahmad, Ellins & Lawrie, 2014 pp.7). All the definitions carry some common themes that are worth explicating in detail. One of the most significant themes is respect, whereby nurses must respect the old, their values, needs, and the preferences. As such, when nurses are caring out their tasks and responsibilities they need to ensure that they ensure that respect is guaranteed. The second imperative theme is partnership and collaboration whereby the professionals in the healthcare such as nurses and doctors must collaborate with the patients (Saha & Beach, 2011 pp.386). The third theme is the emphasis on the patient seeking the medication rather than the professionals offering services or the management of the healthcare facility. The Health Foundation identified a conclusive framework that came up with four primary principles of person-centered care. The first principle emphasizes on affording people dignity, compassion and respect. The second principle is all about providing coordinated care, treatment or support by the nurses (Moon, 2009). The third principle is concerned with providing tailored care, support, or treatment of the patients. The fourth pillar is concerned with supporting individuals to be in a better position to explore skills and strengths to live a satisfying life. In addition to the above, it is profound to note that there are several advantages of person-centered care. One of the most significant advantages is that PCC substantially improves clinical outcome (Bach & Grant, 2009). For instance, when a patient is supported throughout the illness period they are more likely to stick to the medication plans. The second importance is that it allows the healthcare professionals to make effective decisions together with the patients, and this leads to increased satisfaction in the services offered. Notwithstanding, people with skills and knowledge are in a better position to engage in healthy behaviors leading to improved healthcare performance. The Health Foundation asserts that “Person-centered care is good for health care professionals too. As patient engagement increases, staff performance and morale see a corresponding increase” (Health Foundation, 2015) According to Jasper and Mantzoukas, “Reflection is the way that we learn from an experience to learn and develop practice” (Mantzoukas & Jasper, 2008 pp.320). Thus, reflection is a method that inspires people to think deeply when undertaking various practices and activities. This encourages them to bear in mind the possibilities, thoughts and the outcomes of all their actions. Reflection plays avital role in promoting the development of professional and personal skills that enables an individual to live a fulfilling life. There are several things that we reflect in our daily life (Hickson, 2011). Some of the common questions asked during such reflections include what went wrong? What didn't happen correctly? How do I feel about it? As such, Jasper asserts that “Reflection is a means of processing thoughts and feelings about an incident or a stressful day…and gives us a chance to come to terms with our thoughts and feelings about it” (Mantzoukas & Jasper, 2008 pp.322). It is crucial understanding that reflection plays a vital role in the healthcare sector. It enables the nurses to deal with challenging or difficult situations and thus come up with amicable solutions (Hickson, 2011). During such reflections, communication plays a sensitive role. For instance, the nurses must communicate and in the process phrases such as “I think you might be right” are used. Other phrases include “I realize that I was upset because…” Thus, this enables the nurses to come up with the best solutions the next time when they are faced with similar challenges (Mantzoukas & Jasper, 2008). In addition to the above, there some key points that is worth understanding when dealing with any reflection issue in the healthcare sector. One of the most significant points to note is that reflection is not all about description but involves exploration and explicating the actions and events. Secondly, it requires the realization of errors, weaknesses, and anxieties as well as the strengths and success of every situation (Hickson, 2011). Thirdly, it is crucial to make a selection of the critical parts of the situation being reflected upon. Dealing with the whole story may end up with the only description instead of reflection. Finally, there is a substantial need to reflect more about the future rather than the past with an objective of enhancing the future decisions. Several models can be used in the process of reflection. However, the report will focus on one of the most significant and widely used models by Driscoll. Driscoll model of reflection is founded upon three essential questions. The first question is what? The second question is so what? And the last question is now what? All the three questions play a vital role in reflecting a given situation with an objective of coming up with amicable solutions. REFLECTION MODEL Description of the Scenario (what) The chosen scenario happened when a physician was mistreating an old patient under medication. I considered that I should take the responsibility since the physician substantially failed in the key communication concepts. Four primary people were involved in this scenario namely, the doctor, physician, the old patient, the guardian and me. To maintain the privacy and confidentially of the patient an arbitrary name “Mr. XYZ” will be used in the cause of the report (Levinson, Lesser & Epstein, 2010). The scenario happened when I was on Tuesday when I was busy with my normal duties and responsibilities within the surgical section. I heard Mr. XYZ complaining to the physician that the injections were a nuisance to him. The complaint was based on his discomfort the previous night in the areas affected. He claimed that he had a sleepless night for the injected area was paining him so much. My initial reaction was to cool the patient and make him relax. However, this was in vain; he turned away and tried to leave his bed. I made a request to the doctor and the physician to leave the room shortly as I try to comfort Mr. XYZ. After some time, the old man began smiling because of my sweet and encouraging words. I told him to relax since the situation is under control (Mantzoukas & Jasper, 2008). Once Mr. XYZ was settled, we had an interesting conversation concerning the injection plan. During the conversation, I learned a lot concerning his issues. He claimed that the last night he was injected twice and after two hours the injected part began paining seriously. As a result, he was not in a position to sleep comfortably. The guardian who was with him reinforced the claim confirming that he was surprised by his pain. The Guardian tried to find help from the physician, but he could not find him. I informed Mr. XYZ that a new physician will be assigned to him, and he preferred a lady this time round. Also, I informed him that I will talk to the new physician to see if tablets can be used instead of the painful injections. Upon mentioning this, the old patient was so relieved. I visited the ward immediately the next day I arrived at the health Centre. I found a new physician lady assigned to be in charge of Mr. XYZ medication. He was so pleased that he was given tablets instead of the usual injection. Analysis (the question so what) This section analyses the scenario based on the second question in Driscoll’s model of communication. There are several issues that model tackles in this section. Some of the most significant issues include so what does this tell me about my patient’s care? My attitude? My patient’s attitudes (Levinson, Lesser & Epstein, 2010) For instance, in the analysis we shall look at what this scenario tell me about the care. Another imperative question that arises in this section is ‘so what was going through my mind when I acted the way I did?’ another imperative question is so what did I base my actions on? In addition to the above, it is crucial that so what other knowledge I can bring to the situation at hand (Levinson, Lesser & Epstein, 2010). Several other questions are crucial as identified in the Driscoll model of reflection in this section. A nurse needs to ask themselves what they should have done that time to make the situation better (Arnold & Boggs, 2015). Besides is also worth considering the new understanding that is gained by the professional in the course of the scenario. Finally, it is crucial to ask oneself so what, so what broader issues arise from the situation? Egan model as well plays a crucial role in the analysis stage. Firstly, it emphasizes the need to design therapeutic relationship and to explore the patient’s situation. Therapeutic communication is vital in this first step since it is goal oriented and ensures that best healthcare services are provided. The facial expressions and other gestures that Mr. XYZ depicted clearly indicated that he was not comfortable with the injection plan. Everything he did depicted an individual full of anger and I had to take the initiative of calming and comforting him. I knew that he must have had serious pains that required immediate attention before this affects his medication. I demonstrated a high element of compassion and empathy to ensure that he feels the personalized care that he needed (McCormack, Dewing & McCance, 2011). I engaged in the whole process since I understood that person-centered cared will have various impacts especially on the quality of care that Mr. XYZ received. Firstly, I knew that handling this situation amicably will improve the experience of the patient and make him satisfied with the medication. Secondly, I knew this would encourage the patient will be vital in making him involved in decision making (McCance, at el., 2013). For instance, the physician should have asked for his suggestion on the best medication plan that he preferred. In this point, Mr. XYZ should have informed the physician that he preferred tablets rather than injection probably because of previous experiences and associated pain. As well, I knew that this would substantially affect the patients’ health outcome such as blood pressure (Mearns Thorne & McLeod, 2013). In this scenario, the patient’s blood pressure could change because of the associated anger making the treatment complicated (Zolnierek & DiMatteo, 2009). To encourage Mr. XYZ I used smiles and encouraged words as a sign of acceptance of his discomfort and attitude. I held him closer with an objective of calming down his fears and anxieties. This is the point where identification of the errors, mistakes, and anxieties was crucial in the reflection process. I realized that the physician must have been wrong in arguing with the patient rather than helping him out through effective communication that involves listening. Also, this is the point that I realized the strengths such as calming and accepting the patient’s situation were elemental (Arnold & Boggs, 2015). The other issue that worth reflecting in this scenario concern the patient’s privacy and confidentiality. It is profound that privacy is closely intertwined with respect and dignity which is the main pillars of person-centered care. Every patient deserves to have privacy, and all nurses must ensure that this happens. For instance, I realized that the curtains were not well placed so as to ensure Mr. XYZ privacy and confidentiality was ensured. As a result, I worked off the situation so that the discussion of the patient’s progress could be done effectively. The previous physician assigned to Mr. XYZ arrived and was pleased that the patient had settled and comfortable. The environment was very conducive, a requirement of the therapeutic communication (Edvardsson, Winblad & Sandman, 2008). Throughout the communication process, there are some essential skills that played a vital role. One of the most significant elements of effective communication is active listening. This is the primary skill that enabled me to address the patient’s issue exhaustively (Zolnierek & DiMatteo, 2009). I was in a position to comprehend the situation that the patient was going through concerning his complaints. As such, I could explain to the doctor the need to change the physician attending to Mr. XYZ. One of the most significant implications of active listening is that it kept the communication very open and interactive. As such, it gave a chance to everyone present in the scenario to express their ideas and suggestions (Brooker & Latham, 2015). However, despite the successful and amicable solutions, I realized that I had some weaknesses. One of the weaknesses is that I failed to take summarized notes concerning the whole events that took place during the scenario. This should have been vital in enhancing the communication since I could have a basis to refer my experiences. I am very sure that during the last discussion there are few points that I must have forgotten and could be elemental in improving the situation. As such, whenever I will be dealing with a similar issue I will be taking note to ensure that everything is amicably solved (McCormack, Dewing & McCance, 2011). Evaluation The evaluation stage is based on the second stage of the Egan model which emphasizes the need for the patient to understand their requirement (Nelson, 2008). As well, the stage of the model emphasizes the need of setting up individual goals to be achieved (Brooker & Latham, 2015). The nurse is instrumental here in providing the patient with the potential goals to be achieved. It is imperative to note that Mr. XYZ’s complains primary based on the feeling of pain accompanying the injections. However, in a bid to solve his situation we had to analyze and evaluate the possible alternatives (Zolnierek & DiMatteo, 2009). In addition to the above, it was crucial to inform the patient of the future implications of the option taken (Mearns Thorne & McLeod, 2013). For instance, the physician had indicated that he choose the injection for faster recovery. However, if this led to the discomfort of the patient then seeking a better alternative is allowed (Nelson, 2008). With my person-centered care (PCC) skills and knowledge concerning dealing with old patients, I ensured that whole situation was amicably solved. This played a vital role in ensuring that the interpersonal communication upholds the well-being of the patient and avoids further harm (McCance, at el., 2013). Action plan (Now What) This section deals with last part of the Driscoll model which asks the question now what? One of the most asked question in this section is now what do I need to make things better. In addition to the above, there is a substantial need to ask oneself what might be the broader consequences of the actions taken. Lastly, the final issue is to make considerations of the actions to ensure success in related scenarios. The objective of the action plan is to be instrumental in ensuring that the patient adopts the new skills (Edvardsson, Winblad & Sandman, 2008). As such, this is crucial in enhancing a better lifestyle. One of the most significant approaches that need to be implemented in this stage is supportive intervention from the nurse professionals. When Mr. XYZ inquired about his future health and the issue of recovery concerning the use of tablets I assured him that all shall be well with him. I made a promise to be checking the progress of the patient, and shortly I realized that alternative option was working. He expressed his gratitude for the previous nights he had wonderful and comfortable nights (Peelo-Kilroe, 2010). CONCLUSION The scenario taught me various issues concerning person-centered care (PCC) and communication. This section also details on the last stage of the Driscoll model which asks the question now what? One of the most asked question in this section is now what do I need to make things better. In addition to the above, there is a substantial need to ask oneself what might be the broader consequences of the actions taken. Lastly, the final issue is to make considerations of the actions to ensure success in related scenarios. I realized that effective communication plays a crucial role in enhancing the relationship between the nurse and the patient. As a result, the use of Driscoll’s model of reflection was imperative since it asks three central questions that ensure that all issue is well analyzed. Finally, this has been elemental in enhancing my skills and knowledge in the nursing profession. In the long run, this leads to provision of quality services, increase healthcare outcome, enhanced the clinical outcome, and increased patient satisfaction. REFERENCES Ahmad, N., Ellins, J., Krelle, H. and Lawrie, M., 2014. Person-centered care: from ideas to action. Bringing together the evidence on shared decision making and self-management support. The Health Foundation, London (UK). Arnold, E.C. and Boggs, K.U., 2015. Interpersonal relationships: Professional communication skills for nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences. Brooker, D. and Latham, I., 2015. 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