Communication Opinion Paper
According to Cheesebro, O'Connor, and Rios (2010) "communication is the process of sending and receiving messages between groups of two or more people." (para.14) As we all know, communication is a part of everyone's daily lives and is practically impossible for it to be avoided. With that in mind, since communication plays such a big role in our success in our professional and personal lives, it is important that everyone knows how to communicate effectively in order for there to be a shared understanding of the information that is being communicated to avoid any consequences or misunderstandings. Learning to become a skilled communicator requires learning ...view middle of the document...
Effective communication makes employment possible, builds stronger relationships with co-workers from diverse backgrounds and enhances our problem solving skills.
During effective communication, the sender constructs a message that is appropriate for the receiver(s). According to Haycock (2003) there are three elements called the ‘3Ts' that the sender should consider when constructing an effective message. The ‘3Ts' are tone, tools (computer, video, note, etc.), and tactics. It is important to think the message through before sending it to be sure it is as clear and concise as possible. During effective communication, the receiver should be able to understand the message completely. The receiver may have to decode the message to gain full understanding. If he or she still does not understand the message, the receiver should use feedback to ask the sender for clarification. Feedback is an important part of effective communication because the sender learns if the receiver understood the message or not. If the receiver did not understand the message feedback allows the sender the opportunity to elucidate the message. "In short, feedback is the primary means of increasing personal awareness and establishing a shared understanding. You should give and get as much feedback as possible" (Cheesebro, et. al., 2010, para. 23).
Health care communication encompasses the four basic elements of communication. However, the basic rules of health care communication are a little more complex. According to du Pre (2005), "People are actively involved in health communication. They are not passive recipients of information" (pg. 9). Providers specifically focus on the tone and presentation of the message to ensure patients' satisfaction. The ultimate goal in health care communication is to develop and maintain a shared understanding between health care professionals and patients. Physicians may use the biomedical or biopsychosocial model when communicating with patients. With the biomedical model, physicians use short and to-the-point questions or statements on the specific illness. This limits the patient input, which can cause the patient to feel dissatisfied with the care or diagnosis. The advantage of using the biomedical model is that it will save time. Although the biopsychosocial model does not save time, it is more effective when communicating in the health care setting because it focuses more on patient's feelings physically and emotionally. This reduces the risk of malpractice lawsuits, therefore, saving money in the end. Whether health care professionals use the biomedical or biopsychosocial model, they will still encounter reluctant consumers.
A provider may encourage a reluctant consumer to communicate candidly by validating the patient's concerns, uphold complete honesty, and share plenty of ideas or information. When a consumer is reluctant, he or she can have a bad attitude and less willingness to listen. To encourage the reluctant consumer to...
