Interpersonal Communication In Healthcare

1142 Words3 Pages

Isaac Dominguez
Evan Oakley
Interpersonal Communication 125- G81
April 24th, 2014

Interactive Healthcare
Over the last nine years, I have been in the healthcare profession. When I was younger, I never imagined myself wanting a career when I would manage people, but who does? I always aspired to be a pilot, until reality kicked in. When I was fifteen, I had to volunteer a couple hundreds of hours for the school program in which I attended. I decided to volunteer at a local hospital. Little did I know that volunteering for three years would have led me into wanting a profession in healthcare. After volunteering for three years, I decided to get a job for a local community health center, where I have been employed for the last six years. I have held several different positions in those six years and I have learned a plethora of skills, many involving interpersonal communication.
Over the last six years, I have really looked up to my clinic director, or the “big boss.” It didn’t take too long after I started working to realize that I wanted to be in her position one day. She is the best example of using interpersonal communication in the workplace. “Health communication encompasses the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health” (Healthy People). There are many forms of communication strategies that one can use in a healthcare environment when dealing with different challenges and also in gaining skills. Healthcare is much more than being a caretaker and/or a caregiver. Aside from the all the doctors, nurses, and medical staff, there are receptionists, medical records, finance, coders, and various other administrative roles throughout a healthcare organi...

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...enges if it can be caught in the beginning. The interview part of the hiring process is most important. Conducting successful behavioral based interviews can eliminate any non-qualified candidates. Using social networking sites to research a potential employee can be a good idea as well. Although one shouldn’t assume anything from what they see in a profile, a director can learn a lot from status updates, past jobs, and friend’s comments.
All in all, I believe that I have gained many skills throughout my time with my employer. I hope that once I do receive my degree healthcare management, I can apply even more skills to everyday challenges that may arise. In a field that’s growing rapidly, one can be assured that conflicts will always happen, and people will not always work together. With several team building activities, a higher employee morale can be achieved.

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