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The Importance of Communication Skills for Healthcare Providers

Decent Essays

Throughout the semester, in this course as well as through the experiences I have had in the clinic, it has become exceedingly more clear that communication skills are equally if not more important for a healthcare provider than the education they have received. It is inherent in our human nature to trust those who treat us with kindness and understanding. It is because of this fact that communication skills are as vital to effective care as clinical skills in the practice of medicine. Balancing these two key components of healthcare is becoming more challenging each day in our community as healthcare is advancing and the demographics of patients in drastically diversifying. This strain on the field shows great opportunity for growth …show more content…

Importance of Communication
Being from St. Paul Minnesota, I plan to move back after graduation to practice in the twin cities. Communication and cultural competence are going to be vital to my success as an Optometrist in Minnesota due to major demographic shifts occurring there. Minnesota is home to the largest Somali refugee population in the nation. 1 In 1991 a civil war broke out in Somalia forcing over a million people to flee the country. Many fled to neighboring countries but many came to the United States, specifically Minnesota. According to recent census information there are over 32,000 people of Somali ancestry living in the state of Minnesota. The majority of Somali immigrants in Minnesota are Sunni Muslim. This means that I personally differ from them in culture, language and religion. This population will potentially represent a large component of my patient base when I am practicing. Understanding their culture and means of communication is going to be critical in order for me to effectively ensure the best patient outcomes possible.
Before the war, the healthcare system in urban parts of Somalia consisted of “western-style” hospitals while the more rural areas consisted of more traditional eastern medicine or holistic doctors.1 Because of this variety, some Somali people have very different expectation than others when it comes to healthcare providers here in the

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