Communication (5^th Ed.)
Core Interpersonal Skills for Healthcare Professionals

Essential guide to better communication in practice

Communication is a core skill for all healthcare professionals, regardless of their specific discipline. The fifth edition of Communication: Core Interpersonal Skills for Healthcare Professionals provides a comprehensive introduction that will be invaluable for students undertaking any training program in health.

The book guides students toward an understanding of all the basic communication techniques and skills they will need in practice. They will learn to develop self-awareness about the impact their words and actions might have on others, use a person-centred model to reconstruct their communication style and approach, and then apply their new knowledge and skills to real-life scenarios.

Easy to read and logically ordered over four sections, this book will guide students towards developing lifelong communication skills that will ultimately enable optimal person-centred care, successful therapeutic relationships and positive patient outcomes.

• A focus on person-centred care and culturally responsive communication

• Assists students to reflect on their personal communication style and habits, then learn and practise strategies and skills to enhance future communication in practice

• Builds confidence in communication through activities, scenarios and case studies

• Explores communication with Indigenous peoples to improve healthcare outcomes

• Includes digital communication - overviews and tips on navigating professional and personal electronic media

• Scenarios, case studies, individual and group activities, role-plays and end-of-chapter questions support learning

• Straightforward language makes learning accessible for students in all health disciplines

• Student and instructor resources, including companion EAQ, companion video resource Stories in Healthcare Communication, quizzes, semester planner and a tutorial guide contribute to engaging students

New to this edition

• New chapter on the requirements of communication within multidisciplinary or interprofessional teams

• Fully updated to reflect the latest research

• Updated references throughout the text to reflect current discussion and requirements of communication in healthcare

Instructor resources on Evolve:

• PowerPoint slides

• Semester planner

• Tutorial activities

• Testbank (MCQs)

• Image collection

Student and Instructor resources on Evolve:

• Answers to end-of-chapter review questions

• Student quiz (MCQ + T/F)

Section One The Significance of Effective Interpersonal Communication in the Healthcare Professional

Chapter One Effective communication for healthcare professionals: A model to guide communication

Chapter Two The overarching goal of communication for healthcare professionals: Person-centred Care

Chapter Three The specific goals of communication for healthcare professionals: 1 Introductions and providing information

Chapter Four The specific goals of communication for healthcare professionals: 2 Questioning, comforting and confronting

Chapter Five The specific goals of communication for healthcare professionals: 3 Effective conclusions of interactions and services: Negotiating closure

Section Two Achieving Effective Communication by Developing Awareness within the Healthcare Professional

Chapter Six Awareness of and the need for reflective practice in healthcare communication

Chapter Seven Awareness of self to enhance healthcare communication

Chapter Eight Awareness of how personal assumptions affect healthcare communication

Chapter Nine Awareness of the whole ‘Person/s’ for healthcare communication

Chapter Ten Awareness of the effects of non-verbal communication for the healthcare professional

Chapter Eleven Awareness of listening to facilitate Person/s-centred communication in healthcare

Chapter Twelve Awareness of the effects of different environments upon healthcare communication

Section Three Managing the Realities of Communication as a Healthcare Professional

Chapter Thirteen Holistic Communication contributing to holistic healthcare

Chapter Fourteen Effective interpersonal communication within multidisciplinary teams

Chapter Fifteen Managing conflict when communicating as a healthcare professional

Chapter Sixteen Culturally responsive communication to accommodate cultural diversity in healthcare

Chapter Seventeen Communicating with Indigenous Peoples as a healthcare professional

Chapter Eighteen Misunderstandings and communication for the healthcare professional

Chapter Nineteen Ethical communication in healthcare

Chapter Twenty Remote or long-distance healthcare communication: 1 The unseen healthcare professional

Chapter 21 Remote telecommunication or telehealth: 2 The seen, but not-in-the-room healthcare professional

Chapter 22 Documentation: ‘one-way’ professional healthcare communication

Chapter 23 Social media or ‘not present in person’ communication and the healthcare professional

Section Four Scenarios to Guide Communication: Opportunities for the Healthcare Professional to Practise Communicating Effectively with ‘the Person/s’

Chapter 24 Person/s experiencing strong negative emotions

Chapter 25 Person/s in particular stages of the lifespan

Chapter 26 Person/s fulfilling particular life roles

Chapter 27 Person/s experiencing particular conditions

Chapter 28 Person/s in particular contexts