Developing Effective Communication in Health & Social Care - how I develop and use my communication skills in one to one and group interaction task with service users in Health and Social setting.

In this final assignment I will talk about how I develop and use my communication skills in one to one and group interaction task with service users in Health and Social setting.

My first placement was in Royal School for Deaf Children where I was working with adolescence young people. Most of them live in residential flats under support workers supervision and have hearing and learning difficulties. To overcome a barrier to communicate they are using Sign language, Hearing Aids and some of them using lip reading.

On beginning of my place work I was explained that in this setting using right body language is very important to gain positive outcomes in certain situations.

My one to one interaction was during my second time in the residential flat, where live two girls age 15 and 16. One to one dialog was taken place after when girl X saw my identification badge which saying that I am student in the Thanet College. She was very interesting about me and what I do in the college. We was sitting by the dinning table in front each others and she was signing to me very quickly. One of the main barrier to communicate to each others was that I am not able to understand her because my limited knowledge of sign language and also because she was sign too quick. By using help from support worker who showed to me signs, I asking girl X sign to me slowly so I can understand her. To encourage her in communication with me I used eye contact and my body language. I made sure that my body language was relaxed which seemed effective as it made the girl X feel more relaxed around me. I believed the most effective communication that was used in my one-to-one was the use of facial expressions; and I believe in that because with my limited knowledge of sign language we still made us understand each others non-verbal messages. For example, when she sighed to me that she attending some time to the Thanet College to do some cooking there, I slightly holds my head which explains that ” I understand you” and she carried on signing.

In us dialog we both was using facial expression by showing happy faces with smiling to each others and sad faces when she told me that she missing her family a lot. To help with overcome communication barrier and filled gaps in my knowledge of sign language sometimes I used gestures made with hands or arms in case when I don’t understand and have difficulty to sign back. Another way of overcome communication was written words which help me to explain where I live.

This is a preview of the whole essay

My group communication task been taken place as a part in shopping trip to Asda with two young service users and one support worker. When we went to Asda on beginning of entrance we faced problem between that two girls. They was making lots of noise which is significant to people with hearing impairment and both in the same time signing to me and support worker that they both want to push shopping trolley. To calm them down support worker sign to them that this is inappropriate behaviour and need stop this noise because they are now big girls and need behave well. I also showed them with my face expression that is not good and by using my fingers pointed to the trolleys explain that each of them can take their own trolley to push. This situation was quickly resolved because support workers and my body language was showing to them signs of unhappiness and displeased by arms crossed over the chest.

To continue do shopping we went inside and following shopping list which we make before start looking for food in the list. The big issues were that girls have to follow shopping list and make sure that they will have enough money to pay because of their budget. We were walking together and girls were taking food from shelf’s. In some occasions they asked for my help to reach something from top of the shelf. In this case they were looking in my eyes and pointing on something in the shelf and I used gestures such as “thumbs up” to show them that I understood and agree to help.

The discussion taken place when girls were deciding which yoghurts they will buy. One of the girl picked very expensive yoghurt and another girl said that she don’t like that taste. To solve this situation I showed them the price of the yoghurt by pointing on label and by using help of support worker sign to them that they will have not enough money to pay for all shopping. I shoved them other yoghurts in the big multipack which are having different flavours and it was deal buy one get one free. I pointed on the label and by using positive smiling face with thumbs up let them know that this is better choice, they looked on each others and checked flavour in the pack and their body language showed to me that they are agree with me.

By doing reflection on my two tasks I am able to say that in Care settings where are exist barriers to communication is very important identify preferred language. In my placement preferred language is using sign language which means that all staff who works there has to have knowledge to sign. To develop good communication skills staff have to complete “British Sign Language” course. From my practical experience I able reflect on my own knowledge of sign language as very limited. I can say that it is very hard to talk with someone who has hearing impairment in dark environment because we not will be able to see their facial expression and body language. For people who use lip reading also need light to read words which been said to them and it very hard when room too bright or to dark.

In my one to one interaction when I talked to girl X I believe that there were many positive aspects to communicate with her and also negative. I believe that my main problem in communication with deaf person was knowledge of sign language. I noticed that some times when she sign to me something and I reply that I not understand that sign her body language showed that she losing interest to talk with me. But positive aspects were that we were able to use different human aids such as eyes, facial expression and hand gestures. Also we were able to write down on the paper words and draw pictures. On my opinion all this human aids did help me to communicate with hearing impaired person and understand each others. I believe that task one to one was beneficial for me in the way that I being able to develop my communication skills and have practical experience to overcome communication barriers. In group interaction I have also positive outcomes because everyone has bought what they were planning to buy without any overspending and stress like in the situation with yoghurts. The girls have proved to me that It can be different ways of non verbal communication just need to be interested in communication and using simple pointing or shoulder tapping if lack of knowledge in preferred language. This being proved after couple of days when the girls feel more confident with me and in the shopping trip to the Asda they spoke to me more often and even gave me hugs.

(D2) To explain my success in communication I will use knowledge of Michael Argyle work about communication cycle. He is argued that interpersonal communication was a skill that had to be learned.

In my case I have proved to myself that I was able to overcome communication barrier and that I know and understand all language needs which was occupier in Health and Social care settings with young people who has hearing impairment in the way to complete communication cycle and develop positive relationship.

In one to one interaction communication cycle was completed in six stages and after this process is repeated backwards and forwards as long as my conversation was goes on. The first cycle was completed when myself and girl X being meet each other and “Ideas was occur”, she did looked at me and showed her interest to talk to me. This is described by her actions: looking with smile, standing closer to me with eye contact. “Message coded” this is second cycle when I used sign language to her as her preferred language to overcome communication barrier. “Message sent”- I sign to her my question or she sign to me. “Message Received”- this is means when I signed to girl X, she saw what I sign to her. “Message Decoded”- was identified in my communication cycle with girl X as she was interpreting what I have communicated to her.

“Message Understood”- was showed when I sign to her or she sign to me and we understand each others. This cycle explain that my communication interaction has been completed successfully because we asking questions back and giving answers on received messages.

But understanding language needs and knowledge of communication cycle is not enough in process of developing effective communication. The another key in developing successful interaction is knowledge of “Emotional Intelligence” which is increasingly relevant to organizational development and developing people, because the EQ principles can help provide a new way to understand and assess people's behaviours, attitudes, interpersonal skills, and potential.

In my case knowledge of EQ means, that I know how to control my emotions which is important in process of interaction between me and service users. From Goleman’s Study, I have learned and used in the interaction between me and girls Empathy and Trust because this is main platform for effective understanding, communication and relationships. From beginning Empathy help me reach that point in the dialog when both girls was willing to talk to me and be open in their feelings. In the case of difficult situation (such as arguing between two of service-users in the Asda) I have used my body language to send my nonverbal message to service user, as explain Mehrabians formula that 55% of message pertaining to feelings and attitudes is in facial expression.

To conclude my assignment I believe that communication in Health and social setting vital important. Most of them are on knowing and using preferred language to provide good interaction which link to good relationship between worker and service user, and also link to service user self esteem. Training and knowledge about Assertion and Emotional Intelligence is one of the main factors to overcome communication barrier. Being able deal with aggression, which link to Golemans study about Amygdala is another point in providing effective communication. We have to be able control emotions, such as anger or tearfulness and be calm and authoritative in interactions with others. Good communication skills always helping in providing safe care environment without feeling discriminated against.