Basics of Communication in Nursing & Healthcare

Basics of Communication in Nursing & Healthcare

1. Communication
By:
Dr. Esraa Mohammed Soltan
Nursing Administration Department
2022

2. Outline:
•Definition of communication
•Functions of communication
•Forms of communication
•Channels of communication
•Communication process.
•Communication barriers.
•Tips for effective communication.

3. Definition of communication:
Communicationcanbedefinedasthe“effective
transmissionofamessagefromonepersonorbody
ofpersons(sender)toanother(receiver)”.

4. Functions of communication:
•Informationfunction:Theinformationfunction
servestoprovideknowledgetothereceiver.
•Commandandinstructivefunction:Inthecaseof
downwardcommunication,theemployeesaregiven
directivesabouttheirwork.
•Influenceandpersuasivefunction:Thisisthe
motivationalfunctionanddealswiththe
encouragementandpersuasionofemployees.
•Integrativefunction:Thisisvitalbecauseitleads
totheintegrationbetweentheteammembers.

5. Forms of communication:

6. Communication channels:
•Downward communication
•Upward communication
•Horizontal communication
•Diagonal communication

7. Communication channels:

8. Communication channels:

9. Downward communication:
•Itreferstotop-downcommunicationfrom
managementtoemployees.

10. Upward communication:
Itreferstocommunicationfromsubordinatesto
superiors.
themainpurposeofupwardcommunicationisto
providefeedbackonseveralareasoforganizational
functioning.

11. Horizontal/lateral communication:
•Themainobjectivesofhorizontalcommunication
aredevelopingteamworkandpromotinggroup
coordinationwithinanorganization.
•Ittakesplacebetweenprofessionalpeergroupsor
peopleworkingonthesamelevelofhierarchy.

12. Diagonal communication:
Thediagonalchanneloccursbetweenpeoplewhodo
nothavetofollowrigidnormsofcommunication
protocol,itflowsinalldirections.

13. Comparisonbetweendownwardand
upwardcommunication:

14. Communication process:

15. Communication process:
1.Thesendertriestoconveyanidea.
2.Thesenderconveystheideabyencodingtheidea
intoamessage.
3.Themessagetravelsthroughachannel.
4.Thereceivergetsthemessage.
5.Next,thereceiverdecodesthemessage.
6.Thereceiverthenprovidesthefeedback.
7.Theprocessgivestheframeofreferenceofthe
senderandthereceiver.
8.Theprocessprovidesthecontextofthereceiver.

16. Ideation:
•Thisstagereferstotheformationoftheidea,or
selectionofamessagetobecommunicated.
•Messagescanbebroadlydividedintotwo:logical
andemotionalmessages.
•Factualinformationcompriseslogicalmessages,
andemotionalfeelingscompriseemotional
messages.
•Boththelogicalandemotionalmessagesconstitute
the‘what’ofcommunication.

17. Encoding:
•Thisistheprocessbywhichthesenderconvertsthe
ideaintoamessagebyusingverbalornon-verbal
meansofcommunication.
•Thesecouldbewords,gestures,symbols,signs,or
bodymovements.
•Thesendermustchooseanappropriatechannelof
communication.

18. Decoding:
•Thisstageinvolvestranslationorconversionofthe
receivedstimulusintothoughtssothatonecan
properlyunderstandthemessage.
•Thereceiverhastoreceiveasender’smessageand
assignameaningtoit.

19. Response:
•Thisisthefinalstageinthecommunicationprocess
andinvolvestheresponse,ie.theactionorthe
reaction,ofthereceivertothemessage.
•Thishelpsthesenderalsotoknowthatthemessage
wassuccessfullytransmitted.

20. Feedback:
•Itisthereceiver'sverbalornon-verbalresponseto
thesender’smessageandisanimportantfactorin
thecommunicationprocess.

21. Frame of reference:
•Itisthecombinationofbeliefs,ideas,opinions,
attitudes,values,knowledge,andculture.
•Theremustbeaharmoniousrelationshipbetween
thesender’sandthereceiver'sframeofreference.

22. Context of communication:
•Itmeansthebackdropofthecommunication
process.
•Acombinationofcircumstancesatacertainpointof
time,suchasphysicalsurroundings,actions,and
reactionsofpeople,theiremotions,attitudes,and
opinionsdeterminethecontext.
•Withthevariationinthesituation,thecontext
variesandsotheimpactofthemessagetoo
varies.

23. Communication barriers:

24. Communication barriers:

25. Communication barriers:

26. Communication barriers:

27. Tips for effective communication:
Therearemanyskillsandtechniqueswemustmaster
tobeeffectivecommunicators.Manyoftheseskills
wealreadypossess,whichwehavetousetotheirbest
advantage.Others,weneedtolearnandpractice.
•Listeningisoneofourmostimportant
communicationskills.Itisanactiveprocessof
hearingandunderstandingthatdemands
concentrationandattention.
•Wemustensurethatthecommunication
environmentisfreeofdistractionsthatmight
interferewiththeaudience’sabilitytolisten.

28. Tips for effective communication:
•Thespeakerneedstoadoptmannerismthatis
audience-friendlyandheshouldalsobeableto
speakinapoliteandarticulatemanner.
•Thecommunicatorshouldtrytobringinthehuman
touchthrougheffectiveuseofhumorandactual
lifeexamples.

29. Tips for effective communication:
•Bealerttothenon-verbalbehaviorsofthe
audience:
•Facialexpressionsrevealmuchofwhatishappeningin
themind.
•Aquizzicallookindicatessomemisunderstandinghas
occurredoraquestionneedstobeaddressed.
•Continuousbodymovementsindicatealackof
concentration.

30. Tips for effective communication:
•Maintaininggoodeyecontactwiththeaudienceis
important.
•Anaffirmativeheadnodindicatesapproval,agreement,
orunderstanding.
•Conversely,lookingoutofthewindoworsomeplace
otherthanthefrontoftheroommayindicateboredomor
lackofinterest.
•Raisedhandsandrelevantquestionsaresure
signsthatyouarecommunicatingeffectively.

31. Summary:
•Definition of communication
•Functions of communication
•Forms of communication
•Channels of communication
•Communication process.
•Communication barriers.
•Tips for effective communication.