What? A 35 year old woman was attended to by paramedics after reportedly fainting and losing consciousness during breakfast. Paramedics were called and assessed the situation and found it necessary that the patient seek further care due to her hypertension, tachycardia and Glasgow coma scale score of 13. As the paramedic hands over to the nurse they both utilise inter professional techniques such as listening actively, willingly communicating with team members and effective communication skills as Kozier emphasises that “Communication between colleagues is based on an understanding of communication concepts and techniques such as attending, listening, probing and instructing” (Kozier and Erb, 2015). Inter professional communication consists of health workers communicating with each other in an open, collaborative and responsible manner. This type of communication builds trust amongst colleagues and team members.

So What? As the paramedic hands over the patient to the nurse he incorporates sophisticated terminology that the nurse is familiar with therefore they can mutually understand and interpret the patient’s situation and apply the correct care. These skills are necessary for any professional seeking a health directed career as “Effective communication between health professionals is vital for safe care” (Kozier and Erb, 2015). I have not developed these skills as yet and through continuous study and research I can build up my knowledge of terms such as tachycardia. Due to the patient’s family history of stroke, this may be a cause of what has happened as signs and symptoms, for example, neurological deficits (speech) are compromised. The paramedic is aware the patient is awake and responsive so he adjusts his terminology to fit the surrounding environment to knowingly explain the situation to the nurse as best fit. As “Effective communication