Enhancing communication and rapport-building

Providing safe, quality care requires effective communication between you, your co-workers, and your clients. Communication is the process where information is exchanged between a sender and a receiver.

Now, communication can be verbal or nonverbal. Verbal communication uses language to deliver information and that could be written or spoken.

Another type of verbal communication is sign language, which involves the use of hand and body gestures or signs that represent specific letters and words.

On the other hand, nonverbal communication uses facial expressions, tone of voice, and body movements and gestures to convey a message.

This type of communication tends to be more subtle, so you need to be alert to your clients’ nonverbal behaviors.

For example, a client’s facial expressions or strained voice may indicate that they’re in pain even when they do not express pain verbally.

Alright, communication is a two-way process between a sender and a receiver and has four basic parts.

First, the sender creates a message that contains the information they want to deliver to another person.

The information should be relevant, organized, concise, and clear. Remember to avoid medical jargon when talking to clients and their family members.

For example, instead of saying to your client, "Please void now, so I can ambulate you,” saying, "I'll help you to the bathroom, so you can use the toilet before we go for a walk," will send a clearer message.

Second, the sender delivers the information to the receiver, which could be directly face-to-face or indirectly through memos, emails, and telephone calls.

Face-to-face communication allows for non-verbal cues to take place, while indirect methods of communication don't.

Whether communicating directly or indirectly, use simple and common words instead of the more complex ones and make sure to speak clearly and at an appropriate volume.

If the information is written, make sure your spelling is accurate and your handwriting can be easily read.

The third part of communication occurs when the receiver receives the information. The receiver should be physically and mentally able to do that.

For example, a client who is deaf wouldn’t be able to hear you teaching them about their medication; in this case, you will need assistance from someone who speaks sign language to help communicate with the client.

If your client needs a hearing aid or glasses, make sure these are available to help them receive the information.

Also, if a client speaks a language other than yours, you will need an interpreter to translate your teaching.

The fourth part of communication is the feedback, which the receiver provides to the sender and indicates whether the information was clearly and effectively delivered or not. If the receiver doesn’t give feedback, it’s then the responsibility of the sender to ask for it.

Okay, practicing good communication makes your clients feel cared for and important and, at the same time, helps build relationships with your co-workers.

There are a few skills that you can learn to enhance your communication with your clients and co-workers.

Active listening involves giving your full attention to what others say without interrupting them, so you can fully absorb what they are saying.

When communicating with your clients or co-workers, be aware of your body language and non-verbal cues.

Examples of non-verbal cues that show that you are interested in what the client says include facing the client; nodding; making vocal sounds occasionally, like, “Hmm” or, “Uh-huh”; and using a calm tone of voice.

On the other hand, avoid assuming a posture that makes you look in a hurry or bored, like looking at your watch too frequently or using a hurried tone of voice.

Another important thing you can do is paraphrasing what the client says, which means you reflect back what they said using your own words.

For example, if a client says, “I’m sad because I couldn’t attend my son’s wedding,” you can paraphrase their words in another way and say, “So, I understand you’re upset about not being able to attend your son’s wedding?”

This shows that client that you’re actively listening to them and that you understand their message.

Another communication skill that you can use is asking the client open-ended questions that encourage them to talk and give more details.

For example, if you want to know if your client is happy with their breakfast, when asking them, “Did you like your breakfast today?” your client will likely reply with only, “Yes” or, “No.”

However, if you ask them, “How was your breakfast today?” this may encourage them to elaborate more about their experience with the breakfast: what they liked and what they didn’t.

Another essential communication skill is clarifying, or checking whether you’ve understood what the client means correctly.

This can be done by asking them to repeat or restate something confusing or unclear. For example, you could say, “I’m not sure I understand exactly what you mean when you said you’re not feeling like yourself today.”

Okay, sometimes, the best way to show care and concern about your client is silence. This is especially true when the client is sad or crying.

In this case, remaining silent for a while lets the client express their emotions and know that you’re not rushing them. A comforting pat on the client’s shoulder or hands in these situations can help, too.

Alright, there are a few behaviors that you should avoid because they can negatively affect your communication with your clients and co-workers.

One of them is not listening carefully when others talk to you, which may result in ignoring the client’s needs and complaints.

Being judgmental can also block effective communication, and that’s when you do not show respect for what your clients are saying.