Interpersonal Communication In Health And Social Care

Interpersonal Communication

According to Monster.com, (career advice monster, n.d.) communication is an extremely vital key to successful patient outcomes and higher patient satisfaction. Many healthcare providers are honing their skills to avoid communication glitches. By definition, interpersonal communication is simply the communication between two or more people. It is a process of developing a relationship with another individual by interaction and simultaneously sharing influence. There are several ways to communicate, including, but not limited to (communication skills, n.d.) verbal, non-verbal, phrases, voice tones, facial expressions, gestures, and body language. Without deliberate intention, people use all of these interactions

By definition, verbal communication is transmitting messages from one person to another through speech. Sounds and language expressed from one person to another share opinions, concerns, and social interactions. We learn from our first moments of life how to determine what people are feeling through the tone of their voice and specific words that are spoken. All other forms of communication generally fall under the category of non-verbal communication. This is the process of sending and receiving wordless, speechless messages. Such messages can be communicated through a gesture from the face, hand, or other body part, such as a wave. They can also be expressed through body language or posture, for example, when someone stands and crosses their arms in frustration or anger. Other non-verbal communication includes facial expressions and eye contact; object communication such as clothing, hairstyles or even architecture; symbols and infographics; prosodic features of speech, such as intonation and stress and other paralinguistic features of speech such as voice quality, emotion and speaking

Unfortunately, active listening is becoming a lost art. Through the technology age, so many conversations are had with heads down in a phone or computer. Participate in conversations, by adding to them with words, or merely by nodding or open posture body language, and maintaining eye contact. Patients will talk more openly, when they feel that they are being heard and understood. It is much easier to hear and understand a conversation when you are completely ‘tuned in’ to it, rather than distracted by other objectives. The main purpose of active listening is to let others know that you care and that what they say is important to you. Treat them not like they’re part of a hierarchy and they are the bottom of the list. Never act as if one person’s opinion is more important than another’s. Generally, the healthcare field is made up of a massive team effort, with the patient care at the heart of it. There is not always a right and wrong answer, and answers can literally appear from anywhere. Listen to the thoughts of others, but also voice your own ideas. As a team player with an open mind, patient success and relationships will always be more