Exchanging Information across Shifts
- What do you think of the nurse manager’s response?
When the information about sharing of information is passed on at a meeting, silence follows, then the nurse manager responds by a question, “what is going on?” In the capacity awarded as a nurse manager, I think the person should be in a position to address all the problem that is affecting the overall operation of the nursing department. However, from the response, she reveals fear and shock about the unrest going on in the department. This reveals inadequate leadership skills, which has led to the inadequate transfer of information across the department. Simply, we can say that the nurse manager is, in a way, incompetent.
- What information do you need?
Based on the case presented above, I would like to understand information flow within the healthcare sector. This can be achieved by evaluating the communication process starting from the sender to the audience. In this case, I will be anxious to understand the nature of the message originating from senders, how it is encoded, and channels used in transmitting the message, and whether the receiver communicates back to the sender. Also, it is important to evaluate the receivers’ capacity to analyze and interpret the message, which is one of the key attributes of communication (Finkelman, 2006). Understanding the communication process is a sure way to identify any pitfalls that make the flow of information between the nurses, making it possible to work on solutions.
- What is the best way to frame the problem?
When addressing communication problems, it is essential to ensure that all the components that make up verbal and non-verbal communication are in place. The goal of this framework should be achieving productive communication, where the sender sends a message effectively and the message is received and understood as sent. In solution to this problem, the nurse manager should assess the message flow, from the factors that affect that might affect the sender of the message, such as attitude towards self and the receiver, the receivers readiness for the message, and the feedback they offer in relation to the message (Finkelman, 2006). More so, in framing the problem, it is essential to check on the context or environment in which communication occurs to avoid unnecessary distractions. Lastly, is consider the effectiveness of the medium used, as it greatly determines the success of the message and the feedback.
- How might you go about assessing communication in the unit?
As commonly, known communication is one of the significant aspects of the healthcare sector. Basically, it is defined as the tool which ensures success in teamwork, and therefore a need before hiring nurses, which is essential to ensure that they are competent communicators. As a nurse manager, I would assess the communication effectiveness using communication assessment questions and methods (Lotfi et al., 2019). Although this assessment ought to be a periodic thing, it seems not to be done for this healthcare. For the assessment of the unit, I will point out indicators of staff communication problems, how free the staff is in expressing their feelings and opinions, and how they communicate to those in authority. More importantly, I would like to evaluate what happens if the message seems not understood or misinterpreted. Getting the right information about these prompts will help solve communication challenges.
- What are strategies you might use to resolve the communication problems?
It is important, therefore, to work ways to improve communication and reach a solution to communication problems. As a nurse manager, I would ensure open communication channels to ensure an effective flow of information and achieve positive patient care outcomes. Some of the other strategies to include in the communication include incorporating feedback on communication needs and an assessment of non-verbal communication. Additional strategies include responding to questions of what and why and allocating time for communication. Another critical parameter is to ensure that negative news is not taken personally and offer non-defensive answers on contradicting issues (Silva et al., 2017). Other strategies include thinking before speaking, reporting situations accurately, appropriate eye contact, and more so sending important organizational information via the online platforms.
References
Finkelman, A. W. (2006). Leadership and management in nursing. Prentice Hall.
Lotfi, M., Zamanzadeh, V., Valizadeh, L., & Khajehgoodari, M. (2019). Assessment of nurse–patient communication and patient satisfaction from nursing care. Nursing open, 6(3), 1189-1196.
Silva, V. L. D. S., Camelo, S. H. H., Soares, M. I., Resck, Z. M. R., Chaves, L. D. P., Santos, F. C. D., & Leal, L. A. (2017). Leadership practices in hospital nursing: a self of manager nurses. Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, 51.
