Patterns of Social Behavior

Patterns of Social Behavior

Face-to-face interaction has a significant influence on healthcare outcomes. Through face-to-face interaction, patients get involved in intervention methods to be used, which improves the outcome of the intervention procedures. Most of the healthcare professionals across the world believe that using the face-to-face strategy is the best patient engagement strategy. Face-to-face social behavior encourages physical interaction between healthcare professionals and patients, which results in quality healthcare services.

Interpersonal communication is a form of face-to-face interaction that is experienced during the daily interaction between patients and healthcare providers (Vertino, 2014). Nurses are healthcare professionals who are required to possess strong communication skills. In face-to-face communication between healthcare providers and patients, healthcare providers should display excellent communication skills. Listening is an important skill in communication. Successful face-to-face communication requires all the parties involved in communication to participate actively. In the interaction of a patient and a healthcare professional, the patient appears to be the weak party. Patients should be encouraged to participate while conversing with the healthcare provider. In this regard, healthcare professionals should display listening skills as part of their communication skills. Listening to patients without interrupting them while making their points results in healthy face-to-face communication between patients and healthcare professionals.

Maintaining eye-contact, creation of rapport, being audible, interviews, and body expressions occur regularly during face-to-face interactions in the healthcare sector. Through face-to-face interaction, patients and healthcare professionals communicate without a mediating media. Healthcare professionals are the leaders in the healthcare sector who are responsible for creating a successful interaction environment with their patients. In face-to-face social behavior, most of the healthcare professionals tend to establish a harmonious relationship with their patients prior to interaction. A harmonious relationship enhances understanding between patients and nurses in face-to-face interaction (Singh, 2018). In addition, a harmonious interaction encourages patients to speak their mind, which results in a useful face-to-face interaction. Since face-to-face interaction does not involve any mediating media, eye-contact is of importance. In the nursing practice, many nurses are seen maintaining eye-contacts with their clients. Audibility is essential in leadership. In the healthcare sector, healthcare professionals manifest their leadership by outlining guidelines to the clients. In the process of demonstrating their leadership, healthcare professionals tend to be clear and audible when instructing their patients. Non-verbal communication involves various body expressions. Under some circumstances, healthcare professionals are forced to communicate non-verbally with their patients so as to achieve effective communication. Some medical interventions, such as counseling, involves interviewing the patients, which is a form of face-to-face social behavior.

Face-to-face communication is an integral part of the interaction between healthcare providers and patients. Through effective communication between patients and doctors, quality healthcare services are offered. Firstly, effective face-to-face communication between patients and their healthcare providers contributes to patient safety (Vertino, 2014). Patient safety is a key to achieving quality healthcare services. Some patients are allergic to some types of drugs. Through face-to-face interaction, patients are allowed to speak of their previous health history. Allowing patients to speak for themselves prevents incidences of administering allergic drugs to patients, which results in secure medical interventions. Successful face-to-face interaction between patients and healthcare providers improves patient education. Educating patients on drug usage is a form of patient education. Some patients are unable to read, and they can only be taught on drug usage, storage, and safe disposal through face-to-face interaction. Through verbally communicating with patients, healthcare professionals educate patients on safe usage of drugs, which eliminates common drug usage errors. Healthcare professionals interact with all types of patients. In some cases, healthcare professionals encounter patients who are critically ill to a point where they cannot speak for themselves. Non-verbal face-to-face communication directs healthcare professionals on the proper treatment plan to be used on patients who cannot speak verbally, which contributes to quality healthcare services.

Face-to-face social behaviors improve patient care among mentally-ill individuals and children (Andersson, 2014). In the mental healthcare field, nurses employ face-to-face interactions with their patients in the process of achieving effective intervention methods. Most of the psychological illnesses, such as depression, can be caused by stress. The creation of rapport creates a friendly face-to-face environment between patients and healthcare providers. Encouraging patients to speak about their health conditions enables them to trust their healthcare providers. Consequently, trust results in an effective treatment plan. Conversing with mentally-ill patients relives their stress, which improves the quality of life by promoting their wellness. Besides, through face-to-face interaction, patients are involved in developing the goals of the treatment, which contributes to a patient-centered treatment approach. Pediatrics are healthcare providers who take care of children. Eye-contact, facial expressions, and other body languages improve the mental state of children. Therefore, face-to-face interactions assist pediatrics in offering quality healthcare services to children.

In conclusion, analyzing the patterns of face-to-face social behaviors assists in achieving quality healthcare services. Face-to-face interactions improve leadership skills among healthcare professionals. Face-to-face social behavior positively impacts how nurses interact with their peers. Besides, face-to-face interaction is critical for arriving at the right treatment plan. Physical interactions between patients and healthcare professionals build patients’ trust. Face-to-face interaction is a social behavior that is important for patient engagement strategy.

References

Andersson, G., Cuijpers, P., Carlbring, P., Riper, H., & Hedman, E. (2014). Guided Internet‐      based vs. face‐to‐face cognitive behavior therapy for psychiatric and somatic disorders: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. World Psychiatry, 13(3), 288-295.

Singh, M. (2018). Value of Face-to-Face Interactions Between Clinician-Educators and Patients or Students to Improve Health Care Education. JMIR human factors, 5(2), e15.

Vertino, K., (September 30, 2014) “Effective Interpersonal Communication: A Practical Guide to            Improve Your Life” OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 19, No. 3, Manuscript 1.