Group communication, it is a harder than one to one communication because it only works properly if every person in the group takes part. Group communication is more effective if there is respect for everyone in the group and everyone’s opinion is taking seriously. It will also works better if there is a leader of the group who encourages everyone to contribute and makes sure everyone is not trying to speak at once. Group communication can be used in things such as group counselling, youth work and AA (alcoholics anonymous), it is important to have group communication because it helps the people in the group support each other and are often opportunities for people to work towards change. Like every type of communication group communication also follows a pattern, this pattern is fed down the hierarchy where the people at the bottom and top have more opportunities to interact.
Communication can be either formal or informal, it depends on what needs to be explained. Formal communication is often used when a professional person, such as someone working in a health and social care setting is talking to a patient. Formal communication is good because it is clear, correct and avoids any misunderstandings or mistakes. It is used in situations such as explaining to a family that someone has cancer or is dying because it would be inappropriate to use informal language at a time like that. Informal language is different because it is generally more between people who have known each other for quite a while or between friends. In a health and social care setting informal communication is used to make a person feel calmer and more at ease in a hospital setting.
There are many of different methods of communication and they all have a different use in a health and social setting.
The first type of communication is non-verbal. This refers to the messages we send out to express what we are thinking without having to talk. Thompson 2002 said that ‘facial expressions are very powerful in conveying information for example on some occasions, a simple smile can express an enormous amount of information and can be a highly significant form of communication’ page 57
Thompson 2002 also said that non-verbal behaviours echo what is being said. This effect reinforces the verbal message, he also mentions that in some cases there could be mixed messages being sent or a type of contradiction. In a case like this the person who is receiving the mixed messages would take the non-verbal message as they tend to be stronger. Substitution he said is when a non-verbal communication is used instead of a verbal term like when a person nods their head it generally means yes without those words having to specifically been said. Thompson 2002 also said that some non-verbal behaviours that people do along with speech can enhance the meaning of what is being said, he also mentions that non-verbal behaviours are often used to emphasize certain points or aspects spoken for example a parent may tell a child not to do something by wagging their finger as well as just saying no. The flow of conversation is often regulated by non-verbal communication as it can tell someone to be quiet and let me speak or I have finished speaking now.
Non-verbal communication is a form of language. It needs to be interpreted carefully and sensitively, instead of just being seen as simple code. It can normally tell us a great deal about a person’s state of mind and emotional state. It can be seen as an interactive process, which is when one person’s non-verbal behaviours will be influence and influence by someone else.
Body language is a type of non-verbal communication it is the way we sit or stand, our posture, orientation, proximity, touch and fine movement that can help us communicate. Our posture is important because slouching on a chair can show a lack of interest in what is going on and folded arms can suggest that you are feeling negative or defensive about a person or situation. Whilst a relaxed posture can help other people feel relaxed and can also help to release tension and defuse potentially dangerous situations. Orientation refers to the direction in which are body is facing when we are talking to someone. If we are facing away from someone who is talking to us they might pick it up as a lack of interest, disapproval or even a snub. Whereas facing towards a person who is talking to you can make them feel that you are interested in what they have to say. How close we get to people when talking to them is something that acts out how interested we are in what they have to say, if we stand to far away from someone we appear to lack interest or are very wary of the person however if we get to close to the person they may feel we are invading their personal space or even that we are intimidating them. All of our body language can be picked up in different ways sometimes our actions can be perceived as we are interested and care about what they have to say. However we can also be very intimidating if we get up into their face or just get in to their personal space. Facial expressions are also part of non-verbal communication as facial expression are uncontrollable in some situations like when we are puzzled or are fearful of something, these may not be what the person was deliberately trying to communicate but none the less is what will be picked up by the other person. Facial expressions are powerful in putting information across because on some occasion a smile can express an enormous amount of information.
Verbal communication uses words to present ideas thoughts and feelings. For verbal communication to be good it needs to both explain and present ideas clearly through words. To do this you need to involve a variety of approaches and appropriate styles to address your audience. Speech is a complex and difficult matter to understand. The speed of a person’s speech can mean a variety of things from an emotional matter like anger or excitement. The speed of a person speech could also make it difficult for people to follow what is being said especially for a person with a hearing problem because they may only pick up some of the sounds that are being made. Slow speech can also be an indicator of emotional state showing that the person could be in low spirits or tired. Slow speech can also be seen as a degree of caution, defensiveness or maybe even a lack of confidence. The tone of a person’s voice can also be an important indicator in a person’s emotional state. We are not normally aware of the tone of the voice, we may have to wait for someone to point it out to us before we actually realise, for example someone might have to say something like ‘there is no need to shout’ before we realise that we were even shouting. Thompson 2002 said on tone that ‘there are times when it is important to be aware of our tone of voice to appreciate the significant impact as part of the process of communication.’ Another part of verbal communication is the listening this is because to an effective communicator you need to understand what is being said to you and reply accordingly. Verbal communication is important because it is immediate, you can give lots of people information at once. They then can ask questions and give you feedback. However people can mishear information and they can filter out what they do not want to think about.
Written communication differs depending on the level of literacy skills the person has. It is the ability to use written language in an accessible way to easily express yourself clearly. It is an essential form of communication used in many different settings all around the world. There are loads of examples of written communication, such as letters, documents and doctors case notes. Each of these have different parts to play in communication in a health and social care setting, for example doctors case notes will go towards medical surveys which will help towards the illuminating of certain diseases in the future. There are both advantages and disadvantages to written communication. Written communication is good for complicated and vital instructions that need to be given in a precise manner, it also lessen the chance the message will be misunderstood. Written communication is good because it can be referred to at a later date and can added to and updated. The disadvantages are that it’s not very personal and does not give a chance for immediate feedback, it also doesn’t always answer the questions that the recipient want answers to.
Visual communication is also used in health and social care for example leaflets being made to try and help people understand diseases and also to give people facts and figures. Visual communication is mostly used for deaf people as it gives them the same amount of information without making them feel that the communicator is in control. But also paintings, ornaments and photographs can often communicate messages and emotions to people, so providing a source of comfort and meaning for the individual. This is often why doctors have images and sculptures in their consultant rooms as it makes people feel very relaxed. Posters and leaflets in health and social care get information and messages out to a wider audience, this is because they contain bright, bold illustrations that attract attention. Generally they are easy to remember because, they don’t contain loads of writing and are good for people who don’t read well. Visual communication also has its disadvantages such as they only contain basic information and you cannot monitor feedback so you are unable to see if it is understood or not.
Special communication is a way to communicate with people who may not have the same levels of communication skills as what we do. A few examples of this are;
Braille is a way of communicating with people who are blind or whose eyesight isn’t sufficient enough for reading. It is a series of raised dots on special paper that can be read by the finger. People have to be taught how to read braille just as we had to be taught how to read.
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sign language is a way of communicating with deaf people it is when you make certain shapes and signals with your hands instead of talking, again people have to learn how to understand sign language and well as how to carry it out.
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Makaton is a language programme device which uses images and words, designed to provide means of communication for those who struggle to communicate effectively. For example people with Down syndrome and autism.
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Symbolic communication is also a very effective way of communication with people as again it makes them feel more relaxed, symbolic communication is done through play and drama. In a health and social care setting play is often used with young children to describe where they are sore or where they injured, whereas drama is used to act out certain scenes for example those DOE advertisements because they are used to put people of driving fast. Symbolic communication is used for all types of people because it helps everyone describe how they feel in detail without having to open up to much.
Communication using IT is when emails, video conferencing. These are good in a health and social care setting because consultants can send test results from one part of the hospital to the other in no time, which makes people stay in hospital a lot shorter. Communicating this way is also good for things such as getting blood tests back because when you couldn’t communicate this way it took up to 9 days to get your results back whereas now you are able to get your results in up to 3 working days. So communicating using IT makes diagnosis and treatment so much faster in the health and social care setting. It also makes the share of knowledge and expertise faster.
In conclusion although there is more than one way to communicate, each one has a role to play in the health and social care setting. They all help the people you are communicating to feel more relaxed and make them open up more to who they need to talk to.