Effective Communication Is One Of The Essential Attributes Of Professional Nursing Essay

Describe a time when your message to another was misunderstood. Reflect on what contributed to the misunderstanding. What would you have done differently?
I have been honored to serve as a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA), for the Southeastern Wisconsin medical community at the North Shore S.C. for more than two decades. Indeed, I have gained much experience during this tenure in the provision of total patient care. In my practice, I have learnt to view and regard the patient in a holistic manner: as a patient in need of medical help; and an individual in need personal care and attention. In ensuring that I provide comprehensive care, the importance of effective communication between patients and the medical professionals has been impressed upon me severally.
During my service, I have experienced a few instances of miscommunication between me and my patients. An incident between me and a certain patient stands out in my memory. The patient was a personal friend whom I had known for over ten years, he had just been diagnosed with cancer. The physician requested me to telephone the patient and make an appointment so that he could share with him the test results. During my call to him, I tried to mask the heavy concern in my voice with little success. When the patient arrived for his appointment, I was unable to hide my fear and concern, and further continued to give him a hug when I had taken him to the exam room. While I intended to reassure the patient, my reactions unfortunately served to scare him.
When I next met the patient, I apologized for the manner in which I had reacted. He acknowledged that I had indeed frightened him by the concern in my voice, face and the reassuring hug. Gratefully, he forgave me and assured me that he understood that I cared for him; he then consoled me by giving me a hug. My encounter with the patient helped me to realize that I played an integral role in assisting the patients to receive and positively deal with medical diagnoses. I learnt that many patients recalled the details of how their diagnoses was disclosed to them, but did not remember much of the conversation after. It is therefore important to ensure that the diagnoses be related to the patients in a calm, reassuring, and humane manner, to assist them in gaining the confidence to face the condition they had to deal with.
When speaking to the patient, I need to be flexible so as to be able to judge and detect what I need to say and what not to say. I have to be able to evaluate the emotional state of the patient and find out what they suspect or know regarding the condition. This also includes not revealing an emotion when conversing with the patient, for example, when calling the patient or meeting the patient in the office, which may alarm the patient. In my numerous patient interactions, I have found that my words and delivery to the patient are heavily dependent on my relationship with the patient. However, I must be consistently gentle, considerate and direct with the patients, especially when dealing with their questions and concerns about their condition. In being candid with the patient, I must however respect the boundaries of my practice. For example, I am not allowed to convey diagnoses directly to the patient. Generally, all my actions should be geared towards providing an environment which is calm, stable, and confident. My aim is to show compassion and always be a source of hope.
In conclusion, my life’s ambition is to be a medical professional who delivers high quality medical care. I aim to deliver excellent care by giving each individual holistic care; not only delivering quality medical treatment but also catering to each patient’s individual emotional needs. In my medical practice, I am passionate about delivering the quality of care I would wish for myself and imparting his to others. I hope to be granted the opportunity to offer my experiences and knowledge and integrate it with the education your program offers to model me into a Registered Nurse, committed to quality, and holistic medical care.