DOI: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000472770.96106.ed

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PMID: 26492508

Issn Print: 0744-6314

Publication Date: 2015/11/01


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Blogging as a tool to address communication challenges among nurses

Jody Childs

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Author Information: is a nursing administrative specialist at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Tex.

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Excerpt

Most people agree that effective communication is integral in any workplace. However, it's arguably more critical in healthcare settings where lapses in communication or inadequate communication may negatively impact safety and outcomes for patients. In fact, The Joint Commission identified communication as the third most frequent cause of sentinel events in 2015.1
What makes effective communication so challenging? There are many common barriers, such as language and cultural differences, as well as differing viewpoints. There's a potential for communication gaps to be more prevalent in industries like healthcare that require shift work. Workers on one shift may not relate to the issues of workers on another shift. The logistics of communicating with a colleague on the opposite shift can be daunting for leaders and staff, and may result in delays in the exchange of important information. Additionally, communication challenges don't always originate from the delivering end. There may be barriers on the receiving end due to distractions that are quite common in healthcare settings.
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