Recall
While on duty during my nursing practice, I received a prescription order from the physician that I felt would have severe side effects on my patient. I decided to follow up on the issue with the concerned doctor and have him prescribe an alternative to the drug given. The doctor took my complaint as a sign of mistrust of his expertise and shouted at me publicly, attracting the attention of other workers. Instead of responding in kind, I saw it fit to walk away and follow up on the issue with the nurse in charge.
Reflect
Thoughts
At the time of the conflict, I thought the physician might have misinterpreted my concerns. In my mind, I was convinced that the doctor was working with two similar orders, and he may have made an error out of the confusion. In the end, I thought it wise to remain silent, a decision that proved to have been the best. In another instance, I thought my communication inexperience could have led to the conflict.
Feelings
At first, I felt the urge to respond to the doctor to show my displeasure with how he had reacted. I then felt like I was the one wronged and misunderstood by the physician. The attention from colleagues complicated the issue as it appeared that I was inexperienced and did not know what I was doing as they looked on as the doctor scolded me. At some point, I felt that I should take some days off work to relax and recollect myself. My emotions, though suppressed, were visible in my body language.
Actions
I remained calm throughout the incident despite the urge to retaliate. As people were gathering to give an audience to our case, I walked away from the scene. Because the medication was urgent, I went to see the nurse in charge and explained everything that had transpired. I informed her that I needed to administer the drugs as soon as possible, and she took up my issue. I am happy that the nurse in charge understood me and approved my concerns. She even went ahead to talk to the physician who made the necessary changes, and I was able to attend to my patient.
Relate
Effectiveness
Effectiveness is a communication concept that defines high-level competence and is a crucial pillar of interpersonal skills. Effectiveness demands that the recipient understands the message being delivered (Schuster & Nykolyn, 2010). The message should be clear and non-ambiguous so that others can easily decode it and respond appropriately. I feel that I did not package my message effectively in the incident, leading to the conflict. I assumed that the doctor knew my order and did not have to provide a background for him to connect it with my complaint. I did not provide the patient details for quick reference, which inspired the physician’s response. Going into the future, I hope to improve my effectiveness to enhance my communication skills and help me avoid similar conflicts.
Sensitivity
Sensitivity is another vital concept in communication that calls upon parties to consider empathy. For effective interaction between parties, each side should be sensitive to the views of others (Schuster & Nykolyn, 2010). The concept demand s rational approach to issues without letting one’s emotions cloud their judgment. In my situation, I think I was not sensitive enough to consider the physician’s moods. He may have been struggling with a bad day which I overlooked. I count this a failure from my side because, when I walked in, the doctor seemed to be deep in thoughts, a sign that I ignored. Besides, assuming that the physician would remember my order without reference to the patient’s history meant I was not sensitive. Thus, I was not competent enough to show the required sensitivity, which led us to the incident.
Saving Face
Saving face is a communication technique applied to neutralize an escalating situation and help maintain relationships. The concept helps parties to achieve communication objectives in a way that invites calmness and tranquility (Schuster & Nykolyn, 2010). I feel that I was able to apply the concept in my situation. First, I controlled my emotions which helped me into composure despite the invitation to retaliate. Secondly, I walked away from the physician’s office and instead used the nurse in charge. My actions played a vital role in ensuring that my relationship with the doctor did not get worse. Saving face and obtaining what I wanted through another channel helped quell emotions and open a door of reconciliation. Therefore, my competence in this communication concept played out well to calm the whole situation.
Respond
Reflecting on the event when I am free from emotions helps me realize my communication pitfalls. I am referring to the incident devoid of emotions that might have clouded my judgment. I can clearly understand why the doctor had to react the way he did to my questions. The situation shaped my future by equipping me with the necessary skills to avoid similar conflicts in the future. While I anticipate such issues in my future practice, I can prevent them and act if they happen. The incident has had a significant impact on my relationship, education, and future professional practice. I have to work on effectively delivering messages for easy comprehension. Failure to improve would put me at constant loggerheads with people, which would hinder my productivity and career growth. I need to nurture a cultural sensitivity to promote my empathy and thus enhance how I relate with my fellow students and colleagues.
A change that would improve my communication skills would help me develop a desirable character. It would help me focus on my patients and my career more than investing my time in solving issues arising from conflicts. Besides, the concept of sensitivity is vital in nursing care for the benefit of patients. I will improve my communication through self-awareness and self-disclosure strategies. Self-awareness implies one perceives and understands self accurately and thus discovers their uniqueness (Schuster & Nykolyn, 2010). Self-awareness helps nurses appreciate the nursing beliefs of their colleagues and patients. To increase my self-awareness, I plan to set up clear goals and also audit myself objectively. I will invite others to share their feedback about me to make necessary adjustments. I would also employ self-disclosure to shape my future communication. Self-disclosure means sharing personal information with others, inspiring the norm of reciprocity and thus improving their understanding of them (Schuster & Nykolyn, 2010). I plan to be open with my colleagues and patients about my aspirations and beliefs as a way of self-disclosure. Therefore, I will utilize self-awareness and self-disclosure strategies to improve my future communication.
Reference
Schuster, P. M. H., & Nykolyn, L. (2010). Communication for nurses: How to prevent harmful events and promote patient safety. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co.