Effective Communications
HCS/325

Jeffery Dodd

April 7, 2015

Amanda Bracken

Presently working for one on the biggest cancer research hospitals in the world you see many times of communication on many different levels. Especially when you have been lucky enough to experience many different positions as I have.
One of the most effective techniques for sharing information and ideas is meeting face to face to brainstorm. Brainstorming meetings can be very effective if it is planned the right way. It is important for all members of the team to come prepared with their ideas in writing. Being prepared eliminates long meeting with poor results. The most effective technique for sharing information is a group meeting. It is important to create a memo and send an email to reiterate the information shared in the meeting. This will ensure that everyone is in the loop on the information that was discussed in the meeting.
I imagine that all companies have pitfalls when it comes to communication. The key is to recognize the pitfalls and make necessary changes to improve communication. One technique that is very ineffective is the word of mouth technique. An example of the word of mouth technique is an informal meeting between management and a few staff members. During this informal meeting a discussion of new policy and procedures is addressed. After the meeting, staff members who were not present during the unscheduled meeting are learning of the new policy and procedures through word of mouth from other employees. This can be a recipe for disaster because when information is shared through word of mouth, information is unintentionally omitted and misconstrued.
In a health care environment, however, based on research regarding communication in a health care work environment, communication can be challenging due to the diversity that exist amongst staff. “Diversity in the healthcare environment can also cause communication difficulties that impede effective service delivery. Many communication difficulties stem from differences in cultural values, languages, and points of view, and usually they can be overcome by understanding their source and applying techniques to resolve them (Thiederman S., 1996). One of the most effective techniques of sharing information and ideas in a health care work environment is putting it in writing in a language that everyone in the work place can understand. This technique insures that every staff member understands what has been written and can always retrieve the document information to reference the