Most clinical settings and communications I have been introduced to have so far been overwhelmingly good. However, I will still need to be vigilant and be aware that suboptimal communication can still occur in hospitals and other healthcare organizations from which I believe can provide me an abundance of learning opportunities. From what I have learned thus far, effective communication and dynamic teamwork among healthcare professionals is paramount. Doctor patient rapport as well as interaction among members of the team will be compromised if there is a communication breakdown. This breakdown in communication may cause dissatisfaction among patients and their families which leads to the vast majority of medical legal lawsuits. On the other hand, although at times, conflicts and disagreements within members of the medical team is inevitable, if there is quality and effective communication, this interaction generates novel ideas and solutions that help to further stimulate thinking skills in the team. With the use of a tool like ISBAR, ineffective communication leading to subpar patient care, dissent among members of the team, medical malpractice, substandard patient transfer as well as the uneven patient care continuity can be overcome and reduced. The learning opportunities …show more content…
Given the opportunity, I would definitely opt to put my knowledge of effective communication into use. I have reflected since and had come to the conclusion that I wasn’t proactive enough in seeking out extra clinical exposure during my allocated time in the clinical school to widen my horizon. I was just sitting in my comfort zone absorbing and attaining whatever that was being taught without taking the additional mile to surplus my knowledge and encounters. I am planning to improve on this issue as I am well aware that communication and teamwork in healthcare is essential in ensuring patient safety is not compromised. Working in a team with high spirit and joining forces with individuals from diverse backgrounds gives me a sense of belonging that individual excellence do not provide. Also, in modern healthcare delivery, with all the different healthcare practitioners patients and their families need to deal with, it is not hard to imagine the damage it can cause if there is a breakdown in communicating information. Therefore, it seems inevitable that I have to seek out further opportunities to practice my communication skills by getting more involved in the team, by volunteering to present patient’s cases in ward rounds after taking histories. Even though my contribution may be trivial, I do think I have to step out of