Communication Theory
Jennifer Moore
Health Care Communications Strategies
Instructor Sandra Anderson
October 17, 2011

Communication Theory Communication is defined as the ability to successfully convey an exchange of information from one person(s) to another, by means of body language, speech, signs, or even symbols (Communication Theory, n.d.) Mastering the art of communication is of upmost importance in everyday life and organizations, especially in the health care field. Without the ability to effectively communicate individuals and organizations run the risk of being insulted or insulting others and becoming fossilized. However the ability to appropriately communicate does not come easy, there are several barriers that can affect and even destroy one's ability to properly and professionally communicate with others, such as gender and gender bias and cultural and diversity influences. Being able to overcome these barriers, especially in a health care setting, allows one to proficiently communicate with patients, co-workers, physicians, etc, which is essential to the quality and success of patient care. Cultural and diversity influences are common communication barriers. As society continues to become a melting pot of different cultures, businesses and organizations must be willing to be open to different cultural influences. When others do not take cultural differences into considerations, it allows for ineffective communication and conflict. Each culture has its own rules about proper behavior which affect verbal and nonverbal communication. Whether one looks the other person in the eye-or not; whether one says what one means overtly or talks around the issue; how close the people stand to each other when they are talking--all of these and many more are rules of politeness which differ from culture to culture (Cultural Barriers to Effective Communication, 1998). Gender differences, as well gender bias also play a crucial role in the development of communication barriers. It is said that women and men communicate differently. These differences affect how people communicate, as well as how they interpret the communication efforts of others (Schneider, 2007). Females tend to talk more than males, which has the tendency to soothe others and make patients, family members, and even other co-workers feel comfortable. However, with that being said individuals also have a tendency to feel more comfortable talking and confiding in others of the same gender, which can lead to ineffective communication (Schneider, 2007). While I am currently a full time student, I have seen a great deal of the shortcoming that a failure to properly communicate can produce in previous health care settings. I was previously employed at a local paper mill, Georgia Pacific, as an Emergency Medical Technician (E.M.T.). In this line of work, especially at a large factory, one deals with a variety of medical emergencies, from a simple cut on the finger to an employee severing their entire hand. As most individuals know, during a medical emergency emotions tend to run very high and without the ability to sufficiently communicate the situation can become disastrous. Being that the majority of people employed at Georgia Pacific are male, there were many occasions in which gender issues complicated the ability to effectively communicate with other co-workers and patients. In my line of work ineffective communication can be hazardous, if not deadly in some situations. For instance, once while on duty I received a call that an employee had been pinned against the wall by a bale of paper. Luckily, several employees were able to pull him out before I arrived on scene. The man was very embarrassed when I begin my assessment and was very reluctant to let me care for him. He stood up and assured me that he was okay, so I had him sign off on the appropriate papers acknowledging that he refused medical treatment and went back to my post to file the accident report. Later that evening when I took my lunch break, another call came in. The same man was now in a tremendous amount of pain and a co-worker had placed the call concerning his condition. However, this time my supervisor (a male) responded to the call. The injured man willingly allowed my supervisor to examine him and package him up to go to the hospital for evaluation. The man ended up having several broken ribs, among other minor injuries. His inability to communicate with the opposite sex caused him a great deal of agonizing pain! There are several recommendations that can be made in an attempt to alleviate communication barriers from the workplace. For instance health care professionals should strive to accept patients and co-workers as they are and try not to take offense to other's comments or angry outbursts (Du Pre, 2005). It is also essential for health care professionals to remember to always listen to their patients and co-workers, be sensitive to the cultural difference that may affect communication, and always attempt to resolve conflicts in a timely fashion (Anderson, 2011). In conclusion, the importance of effective communication is seemingly impossible to measure. It is through sufficient communication, that organizations and health care facilities run smoothly and meet the needs of not only their patients but their employees as well. Being able to effectively express cares and concerns, makes for a model work environment and an atmosphere that is conducive for patient healing and care.

References
Anderson, S. (2011). AN EXAMPLE OF HOW AN ORGANIZATION HAS ACTUALLY USED THIS WEEK’S LEARNING OBJECTIVES.
Communication Theory. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2011, from Communication Theory: http://communicationtheory.org/what-is-communication/
Cultural Barriers to Effective Communication. (1998). Retrieved October 16, 2011, from University of Colorado: http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/problem/cultrbar.htm
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Du Pré, A. (2005). Communicating about health: Current issues and perspectives. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Schneider, J. D. (2007). Effect of gender-related communication differences and awareness of gender-related communication barriers on communication effectiveness. School of Business). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses,Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/304722307?accountid=87314

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY: I certify that the attached paper is my original work and has not previously been submitted by me or anyone else for any class. I further declare I have cited all sources from which I used language, ideas, and information, whether quoted verbatim or paraphrased, and that any assistance of any kind, which I received while producing this paper, has been acknowledged in the References section. I have obtained written permission from the copyright holder for any trademarked material, logos, or images from the Internet or other sources. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have, the same validity as my handwritten signature. Student's signature (name typed here is equivalent to a signature): Jennifer L. Moore___________________________ ___