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Dec 6, 2023
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Communication Failures in Healthcare
Principles in Management 331
LaFonda Solomon
Brewton-Parker College
November 27, 2023
Communication Failures in Healthcare
Communication among health professionals is a matter of life and death to patients in
the emergency room. The emergency room is a high-risk facility due to nature of its
provision, unscheduled emergency care, high turnover, unfamiliar patients and care
process exasperated by stress, noise and time pressures (Burley, 2011). Performance
indicators have been used to study how communication failures occurs in emergency
settings (Burley, 2011). High levels of communication failure occur when transferring
written communication from the ambulance crew. Performance indicators have been
used to improve communication between the OR and doctors, also.
Communication failures are adverse events that have a negative impact on patient
safety as well as on costs in terms of treatment, hospital stay time and lawsuits. Errors
occur in shift changes when care of a patient is handed over to a different caregiver
(Alder, 2023). The main effect of communication failure in healthcare is increase in
healthcare costs, patient safety and waste of resources. Malpractice lawsuits are also a
result of communication failure.
When communication is not clear between the physicians and nurses, symptoms
may be misinterpreted. This can lead to the wrong medication being prescribed. A delay
in treatment may also occur. One such example of communication breakdown between
nurse and physician is a case of a nurse failing to explain to a surgeon that a patient
was experiencing abdominal pain after surgery and a low red blood cell count. This is a
sign of internal bleeding. The patient died from the hemorrhage (Alder, 2023).
Communication failures may occur due to ineffective policies, language barriers, poor
communication skills, conflict or hospital hierarchy. Ways to improve communication in
healthcare include using the RELATE model, BATHE protocol and the STICC protocol.
RELATE is a way to remember to reassure, explain, listen, answer, question, take
action, and express appreciation.
BATHE : Background, Affect, Troubles, Handling and Empathy
STICC: Situation, Task, Intent, Concern, Calibrate
Outdated technology also can lead to communication failure. Updating
communication systems can improve communication. By improving communication in
healthcare, it will also improve quality care and patient outcomes, enhance patient
experience, improve patient satisfaction scores. Reduce the cost of healtcare and
prevent burnout.
Reference:
Alder, S (2023) Effects of Poor Communication in Healthcare, The HIPAA Journal;
Retrieved from hipaajournal.com/effects-of-poor-communication-in-healthcare/
Bagnasco, A., Tubino, B., Piccotti, E., Rosa, F., Aleo, G., Di Pietro, P., ... & Gambino, L.
(2013). Identifying and correcting communication failures among health professionals
working in the Emergency Department.
International emergency nursing
,
21
(3), 168-
172.
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