Communication Skills For Patients With Cancer

Communicate is essential in health and social care settings because without a good communication to patients, families, colleagues and management is very difficult to deliver good service of care.

A vital part of healthcare is the ability to communicate effectively to give satisfactory and effective patient care (Roper, 2014). Communication is not just important for working with the patients to deliver their care but also collaborating adequately with other healthcare professionals (Roper, 2014). Whilst there are several clinical settings such as psychiatry, adolescence, paediatrics, primary, and secondary, this essay will focus and elaborate on the importance of communication and clinical skills, communication styles and approaches to consultation in delivering holistic patient care (HPC), and how it can be adapted in elderly.

Communication is incredibly important, it underpins any professional relationship with a patient. In any given specialty there is a need for good communication and there is an increasing emphasis placed on communication skills during undergraduate training programmes (both medical and nursing) however it is especially important within palliative medicine where patients are going through massive life changing events, often facing frightening times ahead in their not distant futures. Patients will have their own thoughts and agendas when entering a consultation and it is important to illicit what this is and to establish their own ideas, concerns and expectations as well as considering how much information they would like to receive from the professional.

Communication is usually taken for granted in our every day to day living as we use it without thought. Good communication skills are needed in the workplace and especially with nursing staff to and from patients when giving first hand care. Good or bad communication can make there experience within the health care setting a positive or negative one and can leave a lasting impression. A good health care provider can use there communication skills to put a patient at ease with a few comforting words or gestures, a lack of positive communication in the health care setting could leave the patient feeling neglected, ignored and not valued as a patient.

Sprinks (2011) suggested that employers need to set aside time for their staff to attend available trainings on communication in regards to palliative care. Communication goes far beyond the spoken word and that therapeutic communication is a vital core a clinical skill that requires ongoing training and practice (Hawthorn,

During my placement, I also developed good communication skills. I learned how to communicate effectively with clients to enable the provision of health care. When addressing clients, I avoided the use of difficult medical terms and opted for simpler words that were easily understood by all. I also used a variety of efficient communication methods such as allowing clients to express themselves, providing sufficient time for discussion and maintaining eye contact with clients. And to those clients that did not understand English, I sought the assistance of a trusted

Communication is so important in a healthcare and social care setting for a number of reasons. The patient and the healthcare professional need to understand each other clearly in order for the patient to receive the best possible

In summary, the experience of observing and reflecting on this video vignette, elevated my understanding of the range of techniques that enhances communication therapeutically, such as active listening, empathy, developing rapport and the use of non-threatening body language and tone of voice to alleviate patient anxiety and illicit patient cooperation. Moreover, the act of reflective contemplation gave me an understanding of what it means to be self-aware - to be able to recognise and arrest idiosyncrasies such as personal moral values and cultural beliefs so as to promote a healthcare environment that is patient-centred. As general workplace and healthcare resource pressures increases, it becomes even more relevant for healthcare practitioners and future clinicians to be versed in such techniques, so that despite the pressure, they are better able to manage their emotional and physical

Effective communication skills help a person in a vulnerable situation to feel secure, safe and also respected. It allows the individuals to express their needs and concerns. Health and social care workers have the tools to provide understanding and support in their workplace.

Helman, C. G. (1981). Disease versus illness in general practice. The Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 31(230), 548-552.

Effective communication in the healthcare setting improves recovery rates and reduces pain and complication rates. (Wilkinson et al, 2003). Many complaints to the NHS are attributed to poor communication. Effective communication is reliant on the nurse working in partnership with the patient. It is essential that the nurse establishes a rapport and most of this will be achieved through the use of facial expressions. In my practice, it is important that develop a therapeutic relationship with the patients so that they can be able to put their trust in me. The therapeutic relationship is solely to meet the needs of the patient. In this relationship, there is a rapport established from a sense of mutual understanding and trust. To build a good nurse-patient relationship, I would have to show qualities of empathy, caring, sincerity and trustworthiness. During practice, if I am approaching a patient and the patient looks anxious, I should approach with empathy.

Communication plays a vital role in the healthcare setting, as the relationship with the healthcare professional sets the tone of the care experience and has a powerful impact on patient satisfaction. It is “the shared process in which messages are sent and received between two or more people which are made up of a sender, receiver, and message in a particular context” (cite, date). This essay highlights the importance of, and some common barriers to, effective communication in the healthcare setting. It involves many interpersonal skills such as effective observation, questioning and listening, giving feedback, recognizing and removing barriers.

“Extensive research has shown that no matter how knowledgeable a clinician might be, if he or she is not able to open good communication with the patient, he or she may be of no help” (Asnani, MR. 2009). Effective communication plays a big role in healthcare and contributes to the quality of patient care and teamwork.

"Good communication skills have been linked to higher patient satisfaction, greater patient adherence to treatment, better patient health outcomes, fewer physician malpractice claims, reduced patient anxiety, increased recall and improved understanding." (Kissane, 2012) Numerous medical programs have executed basic communication skills curriculum. The five key communication skills encompass listening effectively, eliciting information using effective questioning skills, providing information using effective explanatory skills, counseling and educating patients, and making informed decisions based on patient information and preference. "The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recommends that physicians become competent with these five elements." (Travaline,

Health care professionals have to provide an efficient and effective service that addresses the needs of patients. Effective communication skills became a vital factor of clinical competence and compliance. Its objectives are to improve accuracy, efficiency and supportiveness. Its