A medical practice is about providing compassionate care, especially in the case of nursing. Nursing is also a career choice and one facet of the service provided by any hostpital. Like any business, it requires a working knowledge of how to communicate effectively. For a nurse, good communication skills are important on multiple levels. It starts with the ability to interact with patients and convey critical information related to their care. Speaking candidly and concisely to a patient is already a skill in and of itself, one that can take years to hone and perfect for the most efficacy.
But there is another level of communication acumen that every nurse must also learn to adopt, the skill for business communication. Any nurse with ambitions to move ahead in his or her career trajectory would be well-served to have a strong foundation for understanding this level of discourse and interaction with colleagues. It could make all the difference in getting ahead in your nursing career.
That’s where The Nurse’s Communication Advantage comes in. This instructional book written by noted author Kathleen D. Pagana outlines the crucial facets of effective communication that can benefit any member of the nation’s workforce, not just nurses. However, Pagana comes at the topic from a very specific point of view in that she herself was a nurse who has a PhD in Nursing Research.
In writing the book, Pagana brings a unique approach to conveying the importance of effective communication as someone who has become an innovator in the healthcare industry for 30 years. She stresses an emphasis on smart communication as the gateway to long-term career development.
Positive Methods of Communication
Each chapter of Pagana’s book gives the reader valuable insight into various topics related to communication, the best ways to achieve it, and the many hurdles and borders anyone might come up against in a number of different situations. These are all vital pieces of knowledge to have in any field, but Pagana refers to specific examples from her nursing background.
Whether it’s a chapter that discusses how to prepare for a presentation to colleagues, understanding the key components for running a successful meeting or conference call, or outlining how to bridge the generation gap between nurses on the same staff, Pagana’s book posits real world scenarios and discusses how each one provides the reader with questions that can be asked about communicating effectively in a particular situation.
Pagana offers answers to these questions in a manner that is direct and teaches the reader how to re-think his or her own approach to the problem in order to help them foster greater success in their communication skills.
The Patient Experience
Pagana has written her book from the nurse’s viewpoint to point nurses in the right direction to become better business communicators with the goal of helping them develop these skills in every facet of their careers. It puts an emphasis on filling in the gaps that nursing schools don’t adequately acknowledge when it comes to analyzing the nursing profession as a business.
That profession is a vital aspect of the healthcare equation whether you work in a hospital setting or in the smaller confines of a doctor’s office. Both environments bring their own set of special challenges and knowing how to communicate with effective accuracy can dramatically improve the patient experience in either one.
Making the patient feel safe and comfortable is predicated upon how well you explain diagnoses and the necessary treatments, it’s also important in keeping the patient updated on the progress of test results, referrals, even reminders of appointments. Transmitting medical information from one provider to another can benefit from strong communication skills and all of these things work hand in hand to provide the patient with medical care they expect and deserve.
When the patient is treated well, he or she is more likely to refer the practice to friends and colleagues and that can help your business grow. The impression left by your staff, whether they’re a nurse or answering your phones,
in the case of an answering service, patient experience matters. Your ability to succeed and build a reputation worthy of emulation, is directly connected to the level of service and most importantly, effective communication practices. Patients are met with members of your staff, when they’re often at their most vulnerable and practicing effective and compassionate communication habits, are instrumental to building the trust between a patient and a medical practice.
