The Role of Communication Collaboration and Teamwork, Capstone Project Example

Introduction

Achieving a successful encounter with a patient requires a high level of organization among those who provide care. This reflects a need to better understand the dynamics of nursing and other healthcare providers so that it is possible for a patient to receive optimal support and guidance throughout the plan of care. Therefore, active communication, cooperation, and expert knowledge are essential to the discovery of new methods to improve outcomes for all patients. It is important to address the challenges associated with communication and to develop a strategy that will facilitate the desired results. Communication among healthcare providers must be clear, concise, and treated as critical at all times in order to effectively manage patient care needs at all levels. Most importantly, communication must be based upon expert skills and knowledge that will facilitate the intended results and will demonstrate the overall impact of success in treating patients across all age groups. Obstacles or barriers to communication must also be considered, as these provide further insight into how to approach patients with efficiency and quality of care in mind at all times.

Body

Throughout the patient encounter, a patient must receive professional and expert communication that is also sensitive to the needs of the patient and the overall direction and focus of the care that is required. It is necessary that nurses are able to share ideas openly and honestly, along with exercising professional judgment as best as possible in order to prevent unnecessary complications. Nurses must be experts in developing interpersonal relationships with their colleagues as a means of addressing the priorities of the patient above all else, rather than to limit the patient care experience due to lack of interpersonal skills (Arnold & Boggs, 2015). Most importantly, nurses must be mindful of their words as well as nonverbal communication, such as facial expressions, because negative body language may lead to a less than desirable result for patients (Arnold & Boggs, 2015).

In some healthcare environments, nurses may largely benefit from different opportunities that support standardized communication through tools that aim to positively impact patient care (Jukkala, James, Autrey, Azuero, & Miltner, 2012). Nurses must be prepared to manage the needs and expectations of this process and be able to share ideas in a structured manner, whereby standardized responses may ease some of the conflict and/or tension of the patient encounter in different ways (Jukkala et.al, 2012). It is important for nurses to recognize the value of developing a framework that includes open and active collaboration at all times in order to meet the needs of their patients without delays. Nurses must recognize that patients require ongoing communication that is sensitive to their needs and which will support their recovery as best as possible. Nurses must be fully committed to making the appropriate decisions in working with patients and in recognizing that communication is critical to their success and recovery (Brunetto, Farr-Wharton, & Shacklock, 2012). Collaboration and teamwork must reflect the importance of valuing each employee’s contribution to the workplace environment and in creating a supportive environment that will encourage successful results among team members. It is imperative to develop a strategy that will facilitate successful results related to team-based dynamics to positively impact outcomes.

It is also necessary to consider the role of communication challenges with respect to language barriers and other considerations that may impact patient outcomes, as these may pose additional concerns for nurses that are difficult to manage (Hemsley, Balandin, & Worrall, 2012). Most importantly, nurses must be appropriately trained to address language barriers throughout the practice environment, as this may pose a threat to the overall ability of nurses to communicate at a high level with their patients who do not speak the same primary language (Hemsley et.al, 2012). Training must include the recognition of sensitivity regarding patient needs who face these challenges and the overall development of factors that will have a positive and lasting impact on patient needs over time. When nurses are able to communicate effectively and minimize these barriers, patients will benefit from these experiences and are likely to improve their understanding of their current health status and the potential for recovery (Hemsley et.al, 2012).

The Joint Commission supports a culturally competent work environment that will impact outcomes and provide further support of the development of key principles that improve patient communication and knowledge sharing among colleagues (The Joint Commission, 2015). Patients must receive culturally sound and responsible communication regarding their concerns from nurses in order to be successful in treating needs effectively and with the patient’s best interests in mind at all times (The Joint Commission, 2015). This process requires an examination of the key principles that impact patient care that involve cultural awareness and growth (The Joint Commission, 2015).

Conclusion

Nurse communication challenges and barriers often contribute to poor experiences with patients and subsequently negative outcomes. It is the responsibility of nurses to be proactive in working with their patients in order to be successful in providing care and treatment that is specific, timely, and effective, using communication as a valuable tool in this process. It is important for nurses to be mindful of their strengths and weaknesses with respect to communication and to recognize where improvements might be made that will contribute to effective patient outcomes.

References

Arnold, E. C., & Boggs, K. U. (2015). Interpersonal relationships: Professional communication skills for nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences

Brunetto, Y., Farr-Wharton, R., & Shacklock, K. (2012). Communication, training, well-being, and commitment across nurse generations. Nursing Outlook, 60(1), 7-15.

Hemsley, B., Balandin, S., & Worrall, L. (2012). Nursing the patient with complex communication needs: time as a barrier and a facilitator to successful communication in hospital. Journal of advanced nursing, 68(1), 116-126.

The Joint Commission (2015). Advancing effective communication, cultural competence, and patient-and-family-centered care. Retrieved from http://www.jointcommission.org/Advancing_Effective_Communication/

Jukkala, A. M., James, D., Autrey, P., Azuero, A., & Miltner, R. (2012). Developing a standardized tool to improve nurse communication during shift report. Journal of nursing care quality, 27(3), 240-246.