Different Forms of Communication

P1/M1 – Prepare a training booklet or leaflet that identifies and describes different forms of communication that are used in health and social care environment.

Communication in Health and Social Care

Communication is very important while working in the Health and Social Care sector. The client and the professional need to understand each other clearly in order for the client to receive the best possible care. You need to communicate to learn the needs of your client. The Health and Social Care sector is not a one man team; you work with a number of other professionals, each with their own speciality. You need their help to deliver the best quality care, so you need to communicate with them. Communication is used to pass on knowledge, to find out others opinions or to pass on instructions.

The majority of communication is non-verbal and there are various elements of body language. Non-verbal communication refers to the messages we send out to express ideas without talking, through the use of body language; it is the process of communication through sending and receiving wordless cues between people. It can include eye contact, facial expressions, body movements, posture, touch or hand gestures.

These are examples of different forms of communication that are used in health and social care environments:

Jargon

Jargon is very similar to slang, it basically is work-related professional slang that is difficult for others to understand. It means using special terms or expressions that are connected to someone’s own profession.  It is words that are used by a person in a particular field when they are talking about some aspect of the field they are in. You will often hear doctors, lawyers, bankers and others speak in jargon when talking to others in that profession.

It can be used in a health and social care setting by doctors for example when they use specific terms that a patient might not understand like telling a nurse to get a patient ready for a MRI scan. A...