It's just communication!?!?!
I was speaking with a friend over the weekend, who painfully described her experience while giving birth to her first child two years ago. She recounted the story and almost broke down in tears many times, the pain seemed so raw. She repeated "no one told me what they were doing" many times through our conversation. This absolutely broke my heart.
A couple of days after speaking with my friend, I stumbled across Judy Ledger's article "What needs to be done to make child birth safer?" Judy discusses feeling compelled to start her own charity following (what reads like) a traumatic experience.
"I founded Baby Lifeline 36 years ago after tragically losing my first three babies.......Communication and other “non-technical skills” have been repeatedly acknowledged as an important factor in both improving safety in maternity units, and ensuring that parents are aware of what is happening during the birth process” Judy Ledger.
Several decades later, it almost feels like we have regressed. It seems we still do not understand nor appreciate the importance of effective communication as healthcare providers.
It’s simple, some may even say it's basic yet so powerful. Effective communication may not provide a solution to the the issue at that present time but has the ability to ease most situations. It will not erase the negative emotions felt but leaves the patient feeling like someone cares and often times not alone.
There are many layers to effective communication, verbal, non-verbal, written and visual. Through my practice as Nurse/ Midwife, I found non verbal cues such as tone of voice, body language, gestures, maintaining eye contact, listening are just as effective as verbal communication.
Despite living in a country where healthcare professionals are referred to as "gods", We must ALWAYS gain consent from the patient before providing any care.
I explained to my friend that the healthcare professional was following the correct procedure but all was null and void without consent.
We (healthcare providers) must always discuss (verbally communicate):
- What they want to do (the required action such as insert an indwelling catheter)
- Why the action is required (explain the rationale such as a full bladder could slow down labour)
- Explain how they intend to complete the task/action (explain the process in simple English)
- Inform if the procedure will inflict discomfort or pain,type, duration and encourage coping/distraction techniques (such as a taking deep breaths, looking away, counting numbers)
- Gain informed consent from the patient (permission to provide care being discussed)
Communicating in such a manner usually improves compliance and co-operation rather than anger, non-compliance or negative feedback or experience.
As healthcare providers, we must understand the importance of effective communication can never be over emphasised.