Health Care Communication
Personal and Professional Health Care Communication
HCS/350
June 27, 2011
Personal and Professional Health Care Communication "Health communication refers to health-related transactions between individuals who are attempting to maintain health and avoid illness" (Northouse & Northouse, 1998, p. 20). The effectiveness and therapeutic nature of communication between individuals in any health care relationship has a strong influence on the success of interpersonal relationships and health outcomes.
Definition of Health Care Communication Health care communication is any human transaction that focuses on health-related issues. Health care communication refers to any verbal, nonverbal, or written exchanges between health care professionals and their clients or other health care workers trying to prevent illness and maintain health. Health care communication can occur in any health care environment like a hospital, nursing home, doctor’s office, or clinic. Health care communication can also occur in public settings such as conferences, speeches, national health campaigns, and public addresses on health care topics (Northouse & Northouse, 1998).
Personal Health Care Communication Effective personal health care communication is a vital component for the development of successful professional-client and professional-professional relationships. Several communication variables such as empathy, control, trust, self-disclosure, and confirmation can improve communication practices of health care professionals (Northouse & Northouse, 1998). By expressing empathy, health care professionals help clients and coworkers believe they are understood, and their feelings and views are important (Northouse & Northouse, 1998).
Clients need to perceive that they have some control over their circumstances to dispel their feelings of powerlessness during stressful situations like illness. Health care professionals also need to share control through
HCS/350
June 27, 2011
Personal and Professional Health Care Communication "Health communication refers to health-related transactions between individuals who are attempting to maintain health and avoid illness" (Northouse & Northouse, 1998, p. 20). The effectiveness and therapeutic nature of communication between individuals in any health care relationship has a strong influence on the success of interpersonal relationships and health outcomes.
Definition of Health Care Communication Health care communication is any human transaction that focuses on health-related issues. Health care communication refers to any verbal, nonverbal, or written exchanges between health care professionals and their clients or other health care workers trying to prevent illness and maintain health. Health care communication can occur in any health care environment like a hospital, nursing home, doctor’s office, or clinic. Health care communication can also occur in public settings such as conferences, speeches, national health campaigns, and public addresses on health care topics (Northouse & Northouse, 1998).
Personal Health Care Communication Effective personal health care communication is a vital component for the development of successful professional-client and professional-professional relationships. Several communication variables such as empathy, control, trust, self-disclosure, and confirmation can improve communication practices of health care professionals (Northouse & Northouse, 1998). By expressing empathy, health care professionals help clients and coworkers believe they are understood, and their feelings and views are important (Northouse & Northouse, 1998).
Clients need to perceive that they have some control over their circumstances to dispel their feelings of powerlessness during stressful situations like illness. Health care professionals also need to share control through
References: Alligood, M. R. (2010). Nursing theory: Utilization & application (4th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Arford, P. (2005, March-April). Nurse-physician communication: An organizational accountability. Nursing Economics, 23(2), 72. Chitty, K., & Black, B. P. (2010). Professional nursing: Concepts and challenges (6th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders. Northouse, L. L., & Northouse, P. G. (1998). Health communication: Strategies for health professional (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Pearson. Quick, J. (2010). Developing communication in informed consent. Journal of Perioperative Practice, 20(3), 108-112. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. https://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/detail?vid=15&hid=1&sid=dfc8ebe6-e162-4221-9ff4- f8f31334e3b1%40sessionmgr111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=rzh&A N=2010595068