As a nurse, you have probably noticed a lack of communication
somewhere in your workplace. It is a common issue in many places of employment,
but can be particularly problematic in healthcare. There are ways to close the
gap when it comes to communication, and it is important to do so. The patients
are counting on all of you having it together.
Be Appropriately Assertive
To be heard in the workplace, it takes
a little bit of work. As a nurse, you spend 75 percent of your day
communicating with others. You should be able to be self-confident and
assertive in your responses to coworker's questions. For example, if you are
busy, and someone asks you for a favor, how would you respond? Whether you get
upset, say yes even though you do not want to, or kindly refuse, they all have
their repercussions. Refusing with the exact reason that you cannot help them
out is the best way to go. Any other way and you are either deflating your
self-esteem or causing others to resent you.
Use Communication Skills
Take a look at your communication
skills and see what you can do better.
Here are a couple of things to
consider:
● How
do you start conversations and engage with others?
● Do
you express your feelings long-windedly or clearly and concise?
● How
do you react to conflict?
● Is
it hard or easy to say no to others?
There are many more things to
consider, but you can expand on these ideas to identify where you need some
work.
Be Honest
Honesty is the best policy when it
comes to communicating with your coworkers. Coworker conflict can affect your
patients, so it really is best to make sure that you are saying what you mean
and meaning what you say. Be aware of how your actions can be interpreted by
not just your coworkers, but your patients as well. Also, do not make promises
that you cannot keep. Think about how it will end up if you are unable to keep
your promise. You want to avoid that as much as possible.
Best-Case Scenario
Envision the best case scenario. Think
of situations that are hard for you to communicate in. Visualize how you would
like to respond, and this can help you to gain confidence in your
communication. Affirm your progress and tell yourself that you are
communicating with ease. This trick is used by public speakers and others
dealing with communication issues. Do not be hard on yourself if the situation
goes wrong. You cannot predict other people's reactions, and you can only do
your best. No one is perfect, and things just happen.
Determine Environment
Figure out who you communicate with
the most in your workplace. Do you try to avoid interacting with certain
people? Some people are going to be easier to talk with that others. Who do you
avoid talking with or get frustrated by? All of these questions can help you to
improve communication around the workplace.
Communicating with your coworkers as
a nurse is one of the most important things you have to do. Whether it be with
physicians or other nurses, how you act and react has a significant impact on
your relationships with the people around you.
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