COMMUNICATION CASE STUDY
Communication Style Case Study
Use Case Study: Communication Style Match in Chapter 3 of your Interprofessional Health Care Team text and the results from your communication assignment to complete this discussion.
Describe how you would communicate with team members in your discipline who exhibit each of the four communication styles. Incorporate the concepts from The Johari Window as described in your text.
Be sure to include at least three APA-formatted citation (in-text plus full reference). The citation may be from any outside source.
WRITE FROM PUBLIC HEALTH PROSPECTIVE
CASE STUDY BELOW
CASE STUDY: COMMUNICATION STYLE MATCH
Members of the interprofessional team on a geriatric unit (physician, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and social worker) are meeting to discuss patient safety on the unit. During the previous quarter, falls increased by 10%. Analysis of the incident reports indicates that an examination of the fall prevention program that is offered jointly by nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy is indicated. The team is meeting with the goal of designing a revised fall prevention program for the unit. The proposed program will need to be based in the most current evidence, ensure the safety of the patients, and be cost effective. All four styles of communication noted previously in this chapter—action oriented (physician and physical therapist), process oriented (occupational therapist), people oriented (social worker), and idea oriented (nurse)—are represented. The leader (in this case, it is the physical therapist) is an identified action-oriented communicator. In preparation for the first meeting, she reviews strategies for adjusting her communication style to the team members and prepares her opening remarks. Her remarks might vary depending on how she perceives the other members of the group. She lists pointers for addressing the others based on their communication styles, along with alternate statements for each type.
COMMUNICATING WITH AN ACTION-ORIENTED PERSON:
Focus on the results first.
State your best recommendation.
Emphasize the practicality of your idea.
At the first meeting, if the other members are action oriented, the physical therapist might say, “The purpose of this group is to address the increased number of falls on the unit this last quarter. We need to revise the fall prevention program that is currently offered. I recommend that we construct a program around the three components that have been identified in the literature. Developing a fall prevention program that includes exercise, fall prevention, and environmental components is the most effective focus.”
COMMUNICATING WITH A PROCESS-ORIENTED PERSON:
State the facts.
Present your thoughts in a logical manner.
Include options with pros and cons.
Do not rush the person.
If the other members are process oriented, the physical therapist might say, “The purpose of this group is to address the increased number of falls on the unit this last quarter. We need to revise the fall prevention program that is currently offered. One option that we may choose to pursue is to do a literature review on the efficacy of fall prevention and develop a custom program for our unit. We may also explore the option of purchasing existing modules. What are your thoughts?”
COMMUNICATING WITH A PEOPLE-ORIENTED PERSON:
Allow for small talk at the beginning of a session.
Stress the relationship between the proposal and the people concerned.
Show how the idea worked well in the past.
Show respect for people.
The physical therapist might say to such a group, “The purpose of this group is to address the increased number of falls on the unit this last quarter. Each of you has been chosen for this team because of your demonstrated commitment to patient safety. You are the experts in the day-to-day care of our patients. One area that we may need to consider is a revision of the fall prevention program that we currently offer. Institutions that are similar to ours have reported great success in reducing patient falls using a combination of exercise, addressing fear of falling, and modifying the environment.”
COMMUNICATING WITH AN IDEA-ORIENTED PERSON:
Allow enough time for discussion.
Do not get impatient when they go off on tangents.
Be broad and conceptual in your opening.
The physical therapist could address this type of group by saying, “As key staff members on this geriatric unit, you have demonstrated your commitment to patient safety. I have asked each of you to be a member of this team because we have yet another safety concern. The purpose of this group is to address the increased number of falls on the unit this last quarter. We need to revise the fall prevention program that is currently offered. Yes, the plan for tornado drills has been effective. Is there anything that we learned during the development and implementation of the tornado drill policy that we can bring to the creation of a fall prevention program?”
By acknowledging the presence of a variety of communication styles and adjusting her approach, this leader has demonstrated respect for team members and hopefully avoided potential problems in team communication at the beginning of this important project.
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