Lack of Communication within the Team
INTRODUCTION
Communication is defined as the sharing of information, ideas and feelings from one person to another. Within the healthcare sector, having good communication is very important for providing better treatment and support to the patients. In case there is a lack of communication among the patient and the nurse, then it might affect the capability and efficiency of the health of the patient (Reynolds et al, 2024). Lack of communication might result in misinterpreting the information, failure to implement the medical procedure clearly, and many other issues. Hence, for working in the healthcare sector, it is necessary that the effective communication must be used so that the overall capability is improved and better treatment is provided to the patient.
The present study will be outlining the importance of patient safety and the quality improvement in the context of improving the communication. It is due to the reason that maintaining patient safety is the topmost priority of the healthcare professionals. Further, the discussion will also include reflecting on the quality improvement tool that is identified in the study. At last, the own role based on the habits of an improver will be evaluated and how the skill can be developed in a better way to treat the patient well and try to attain the health outcomes.
MAIN BODY
The importance of patient safety and quality improvement
Quality Improvement [QI] in healthcare expounded as a framework that is used systematically for improving the care and patient outcomes. It compounds with standardised procedure and structure that reduces variations and further supports in achieving predictable results. Patient safety is the core motive of healthcare; safeguarding is at the forefront across varied healthcare settings (Kerrigan et al, 2024). In accordance with NHS patient safety refers to avoidance of unintended and unexpected harm to individuals during their provision of healthcare (NHS, 2023). As per NMC code “Preserve Safety” nurses are accountable to take such actions which does not impact public safety (NMC, 2023). In case, any concern regarding safety arises then, nurses should immediately take action in this area and patient safety should be kept at top. Quality improvement in healthcare setting has been proven highly essential for patient safety; it led to enhance clinical outcomes. By employing evidence-based practices, quality improvement process within setting can be considered and effectual outcomes could be gained. Effective communication in healthcare setting is important for patient safety; lack of communication within team can result in drastic barriers and further delays actions. This creates adverse impact on patient safety and therefore, it is essential to focus on this area so that significant actions could be taken.
Quality improvement enhances nursing practices as it reduces the number of errors while providing care to patients The Errors are just not limited to safety of patients; it often decreases efficiency of healthcare practices and potentially raises the cost (O'Hara and Canfield, 2024). Providing safe, personalised and effective care is crucial as this directly links with patient health outcomes. Quality improvement procedure enhances nursing practices and supports in creating consistent support for patient. Plan-Do-Check-Act [PDCA] is explicated as a four-step cycle that supports in the implementation of change, solving issues and consistently improving the process. As per NHS, PDCA proves to be a profound method of evaluation that supports in testing the influence of an initiative whilst, improving the whole approach (Hickey et al, 2024). In current context, lack of communication within team found to be significant issue and these influence patient health outcomes in negative manner.
In order to implement effective communication chain within setting PDCA process proves to be appropriate as it sets significant actions and measures for implementing communication within team (Essraidi Sr and Chraibi, 2024). Lack of communication in team creates barriers for nurses in terms of providing care services to patients. Healthcare professionals provide guidance to nurses and accordingly care has been provided to patient. When there is lack of communication among team members then, it ultimately impacts the quality of care and therefore, significant focus requires to be implied on this area so that patient outcomes could be enhanced (Connell et al, 2022). By using PDCA quality improvement tool effective communication channel can be implied at the setting and this supports in enhancing patient outcomes to greater extent.
Reflection on the quality improvement tool identified
PDCA is consistent cycle that concerned with planning, doing, checking and acting. Communication is also a continuous process and therefore, it is essential to adopt such quality improvement tool that goes on consistent not. As per NHS, the model is providing improvement framework for testing, developing and implementing changes in the setting (NHS, 2023). It complies with scientific method and therefore, supports in taking appropriate and significant actions. PDCA Cycle supports in checking changes on small scale so that it can be implied on larger scale. The first stage complies with plan; in this planning has been undertaken for implementing change (Palmer, Julian and Vaughan, 2023). In current context, plan related to communication channel such as a hierarchy can be implemented that guides nurses in terms of undertaking immediate communication with their superior and chain can be followed in effective manner. The second stage Do; associates with carrying out the test or change; in this stage the communication chain will be followed. The actual actions would be undertaken in this phase.
Moving ahead with the next stage which is check; under this measurable outcome are agreed before starting out. The data needs to be collected before and after the implementation of change. Afterwards, it is important to reflect on the impact of change and whatever has been learned. The last stage is Act; this is associated with changing cycle in accordance with the identified barriers. For example- if the set hierarchy is not promoting effective communication, then, new pattern for communication chain would be implemented. In this manner, change can be tested and quality of services could be enhanced. However, this model is based on continuous cycle which means if effective outcomes are not gained then, communication hierarchy would be changed. Stage second “Do” can negatively impact people’s experience within own practice as nurses needs to follow different communication pattern consistently. This can create huge pressure on them and further impacts quality of outcomes. (Palmer, Julian and Vaughan, 2023). There is need to set a robust strategy such as cross-communication in which nurses can communicate with their immediate superior and seniors as well. This supports in taking frequent actions and further enhances patient outcomes to greater extent. Hence, there is no doubt in stating that PDCA supports in implementation of change in setting and promotes patient health outcomes.
However, there is need to adopt a specific communication pattern such as cross-communication and everyone should be trained in this area and subsequently, change must be implemented while using PDCA model in this manner, negative impacts on nurses could be reduced and consistent support can be ensured to them (Attenborough, 2021). In order to improve communication within team, it is essential to ensure consistency in communication. Lack of consistency can create negative impact and this further influence implication of PDCA model (Doyon and Raymond, 2024). Thus, there is need to imply significant focus on this area and accordingly, actions should be taken. This helps in gaining effectual outcomes which are prior for enhancing communication within team and further enhances patient outcomes.
Own role as an improver
Culture in nursing is often explicated as the combination of body of knowledge, body of belief and the body of behaviour. healthcare professionals have the responsibility of ensuring that poor practice and ill treatment should not be acceptable, in the role of student nurse it is important to adhere with NMC code and professional standards of practice. Promoting a safe culture at the setting is important as it is links with leadership (NMC, 2023). A leader focuses on prioritising the needs and requirements of team member and by establishing a safety culture nurses can comply with leadership qualities (Leigh, 2021). Therefore, this proves to be an essential component and significant focus requires to be implied on this area so that safe culture can be initiated and promoted at the clinical setting. Patient safety and improvement is all about changing mindset and working in collaboration with team members for enhancing patient outcomes. I will focus on promoting a safe culture at the setting and this results in enhancing patient satisfaction and outcomes to greater extent. Therefore, significant focus would be implied on this area and accordingly, significant outcomes would be gained. This supports in gaining significant and effectual outcomes which are essential for enhancing patient safety.
Prioritising patient needs is highly important as this relates with enhancing their satisfaction level to greater extent. Nurse-patient communication plays pivotal role in enhancing patient health outcomes; this further supports in encouraging service users and enhances their resilience capabilities (Elf et al, 2024). Therefore, it is important to imply consistent focus on this area so that effectual outcomes could be gained. I will be focusing on this context and accordingly I will prioritise the needs and requirements of patient and subsequently, actions would be taken. This further enhances leadership qualities in me; a leader needs to focus on enhancing the satisfaction level of team members and their needs are required to be prioritised instead of prioritising own needs. I am going to prioritise patient safety and this would be my core motive. Further I will comply with NMC standards such as “Prioritise people”, “Practise effectively”, “Preserve safety” and “Promote professionalism and trust”.
I will prioritise the requirements of patient and their family members and this supports in developing effectual interaction with them. Furthermore, my motive is to practise in safe and effective manner that safeguard patients. Moreover, I will promote professionalism and effective communication at the setting. This results in gaining the trust of patient and further develops sense of belongingness in them. In my future practice I will use all of this learning and this contributes in my personal and professional development. Hence, in this manner, I would be able to enhance my practices.
CONCLUSION
Conclusively; this can be said that communication is pivotal for enhancing patient outcomes Lack of communication within team can create negative impact on the patient health. Therefore, it is essential for nurses that they must imply significant focus on this area and immediate actions are required to be taken if there is lack of communication taking place within team. Patient safety is an important component in healthcare; nurses are accountable for undertaking safeguarding procedure as this complies with patient safety. There is need to raise concern within setting if there is any threat to patient safety. Effective communication can help in taking significant action and therefore, it is important to implement change in setting so that communication among team members could be enhanced to greater note. PDCA proves to be an effective quality improvement model which supports in implementation of change and further enables in testing of change. By using this model; a communication hierarchy can be decided and implemented, this supports in recognising the errors and loopholes which are impacting communication process in negative manner. Therefore, this model has been proven effective in current context; however, consistent change within communication pattern can develop adverse impact on nurses and further develops huge stress for them. Thereby, it is essential to create significant focus on this area so that effectual outcomes could be gained and consistent support to nurses can be ensured. This ultimately lead to enhance patient outcomes to greater extent and therefore, significant focus requires to be ensured in this area.
If you're a healthcare or nursing student struggling to write reflective essays, quality-improvement analyses, or patient-safety assignments, we’re here to help. Get expert assignment help in UK, perfectly tailored to your course requirements and NMC/NHS standards. Click here to access professional healthcare assignment assistance and secure the grades you deserve.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Attenborough, J., 2021. A century of professional regulation: what does it mean for nurses today?. Nursing Times, 117(9), pp.18-21.
Connell, C., Jones, E., Haslam, M., Firestone, J., Pope, G. and Thompson, C., 2022. Mental health nursing identity: a critical analysis of the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council’s pre-registration syllabus change and subsequent move towards genericism. Mental Health Review Journal, 27(4), pp.472-483.
Doyon, O. and Raymond, L., 2024. Surveillance and patient safety in nursing research: A bibliometric analysis from 1993 to 2023. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(2), pp.777-788.
Elf, R., Nicholls, J., Ni, Y., Harris, J. and Lanceley, A., 2024. Consent practices in midwifery: A survey of UK midwives. Midwifery, 129, p.103893.
Essraidi Sr, J. and Chraibi, M., 2024. Implementing industry-inspired quality practices in healthcare: A study from the pathology department of the university hospital center of tangier. Cureus, 16(10), p.e71377.
Hickey, E., Man, B., Helm, K.V., Lockhart, S., Duffecy, J. and Morris, M.A., 2024. Preferred Communication strategies for people with communication disabilities in Health Care encounters: a qualitative study. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 39(5), pp.790-797.
Kerrigan, V., McGrath, S.Y., Doig, C., Herdman, R.M., Daly, S., Puruntatameri, P., Lee, B., Hefler, M. and Ralph, A.P., 2024. Evaluating the impact of ‘Ask the Specialist Plus’: a training program for improving cultural safety and communication in hospital-based healthcare. BMC Health Services Research, 24(1), p.119.
Leigh, J.A., 2021. Nurse education in the UK: moving beyond the EU regulations?. British Journal of Nursing, 30(12).
O'Hara, J.K. and Canfield, C., 2024. The future of engaging patients and families for patient safety. The Lancet, 403(10429), pp.791-793.
Palmer, W., Julian, S. and Vaughan, L., 2023. Independent report on the regulation of advanced practice in nursing and midwifery.
Reynolds, R., Edge, D., Neill, S., Hayward, M., Alexandropoulou, M. and Carey, M., 2024. Impact of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) future nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses on children's nursing curriculum–A cross-sectional study. Nurse Education Today, p.106284.
Online
NHS, 2023. Online Available through < https://www.nhs.uk/>
NMC, 2023. Online Available through < https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/>
