Principles of Patient-Clinician Communication  

Principles of Patient-Clinician Communication  

            Many stakeholders and institutions in the health care sector have acknowledged communication to be vital to the welfare and safety of the patients. Enhanced care coordination necessitates healthcare providers to provide effective communication. Currently, medical errors and patient harm account for the largest share of the causes of ineffective communication. In this paper, the seven principles of patient and clinical communication will be defined. I will illuminate the applications of three of these principles within my interactions with my patients. Next, I will define the three methods used to enhance interdisciplinary communication and explore the one that best applies in my area of clinical practice. Ethical principles that are related to patient-clinician communication will be explored as well as the significance of patient safety and ethics in communication.

Principles of Patient-Clinician Communication  

Patient-clinician communication is vital because it can help save or lose a human life. The seven principles are harmonized goals, mutual respect, a supportive environment, the right information, appropriate decision-makers, and continuous learning. First, the mutual respect principle motivates both clinicians and patients to disseminate information and make decisions as partners (Paget et al., 2011). The information exchange tends to express mutual respect. Second, the principle of harmonized goals necessitates both the clinician and patient to agree and understand one another on the care plan. Third, the principle of a supportive environment drives the development of a secure environment that supports the interests of the patient. It is a mandate that the healthcare provider should make the patients feel comfortable when holding a meaningful conversation with the clinicians. Fourth, the principle of appropriate partners aims at ensuring that the patients pursue the services of a competent clinician to attend to the medical problems. The clinician should understand the choices of the patient to provide the appropriate care. Fifth, the principle of the right information necessitates the clinicians to explore and share the present information, options, and trade-offs.

Comprehending the situations of the patient relies on the precision of sharing by the patient of perspectives, individual practices, and symptoms (Paget et al., 2011).  Sixth, the principle of transparency and full disclosure perceives that the patients should be transparent to the doctors to discuss their present situations, interests, and medical history. Seventh, the principle of continuous learning necessitates the setting up of an effective method for frequent feedback on progress.

Three of the seven principles are important for me when interacting with the patients. Regarding the mutual respect principle, I listen attentively to the issue raised by the patient and obeying their emotions regarding the circumstance. Hearing the perceptions of the patient is significant as it enables us to grasp him better before coming up with a conclusion. Second, I apply the principle of harmonized goal by guaranteeing that we focus on a common agenda, and my patient has a better knowledge of the risks and benefits linked with the care plan. In the scenario of an obese patient, I will ensure that he agrees and grasps that the treatment for the illness is curative or palliative. Third, based on the principle of a supportive environment, I will ensure that my patient feels comfortable when illuminating his worries. My patients must feel that the support I provide them when they make their options about the treatment.

Methods of communication

 

 

The first method is the Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (SBAR). It is vital for getting rid of communication issues because it provides a standardized communication that is important in inpatient care. It enables the fostering of the communication styles, thereby assisting the members of the team in having a common agenda. Also, team hurdles is the second method and help in maintaining the team momentum because of the meet on a frequent interval.

Multidisciplinary rounds using an everyday goal sheet is the third method and is crucial in enhancing interdisciplinary communication. The healthcare providers participate in completing rounds that are patient-oriented. The rounds stress on making decisions, issues related to patient safety, transparent and collaborative communication as well as establishing everyday goals.

Considering the three methods of communication, the SBAR method is the most appropriate for me.  The profession of a homecare nurse necessitates an individual to engage in every day or weekly communication with the care team. In the majority of the cases, I might discover that I am the only one with the patient at home. Hence, in a situation when I necessitate medication changes from the doctor. It is a necessity to have clear and concise communication. The SBAR method will allow me to have effective communication on important issues that demand prompt measures.

Ethical principles and communication

The freedom of expression is which my first principle provides the patients with the right to express them, and nurses should give attention to their concerns. The second principle is honesty. Nurses should agitate for honesty when holding meaningful conversations with the patients. The third principle is reliability (Shannon & Myers, 2012). Nurses should be reliable in a circumstance when he is necessitated to attend to the patient. The reliability of the nurse tends to nurture trust and foster a strong bond with the patient. The fourth principle is respect. It necessitates the nurses and patients

Ethics is instrumental in the communication between the nurses and a patient. It is vital to express ethics when holding a meaningful conversation with the patient as it nurtures the trust between both parties. Ethics impedes instances where the patient can get harmed, leading to improved safety (Shannon & Myers, 2012). Team communication in a hospital improves patient safety. For example, in a circumstance where one of the members does not alert the other group about the present patient’s condition, then it will justify ineffective team communication and pose a risk to patient safety.

Conclusion

As illuminated above, effective patient-nurse communication positively impacts both the safety and results of the patient. The principle of patient and clinician communication entails a supportive environment, harmonized goals, the right to information, appropriate decision partner, transparency and full disclosure, continuous learning, and mutual respect. The methods that are used to enhance interdisciplinary communication entail a standardized communication referred to as SBAR and multi-disciplinary rounds applying the everyday goal sheet. The ethical principle of communication involves reliability, honesty, freedom of expression, and respect. Further, the nurses can enhance patient safety and result through applying collaborative skills, intra-professional, and intra-professional communication.