So let’s talk about word choices. You may have already learned about the Six Cs of Communication. If you haven’t, or if you need a refresher, the Six Cs are: Conciseness, Concreteness, Color (description), Cultural-sensitivity, Correctness and Clarity. While each one is important, we are going to focus on clarity in this article.

You’re not speaking my language.

What does it mean to be clear? It means that when you are communicating, you choose words that the receiver will understand. You get to the point and avoid confusing the receiver of your message. It also means that you avoid using words that we call “jargon.”

Think of jargon as a secret language that only certain people know. Some adults might say that teens have their own jargon in the form of text abbreviations. While this can be frustrating for parents, it’s not nearly as serious as when a receiver (often a patient) does not understand medical or healthcare jargon. (By the way, there is a lot of jargon in the field of medicine and healthcare.) If you plan on going into the healthcare field, it’s important to know the value of communicating clearly.

Let’s look at the example of a patient who is not feeling well that goes to visit their doctor. They find out they have to get tests and start taking new medicine. The patient may already feel scared and overwhelmed because they are worried and don’t like how their health is affecting their everyday activities.

If the provider talking to them uses words they don’t understand, they will not only be frustrated but they could leave the office and not have a clue what to do to feel better. They might go home and feel even more worried than they did before going to the doctor. None of this is good. But, if the provider uses clear, simpler language, then the patient will likely be put at ease. They should feel less worried and most importantly, know what to do next to start feeling better.

Someone is doing something somewhere somehow (non-specifically).

While it is not one of the Six Cs, being specific is still important and builds upon clarity and concreteness. Using specific language is important because your receiver will not have to risk guessing what your message means and possibly misunderstanding it.

Let’s take the example of a patient who is overweight and seeking help from a dietitian or nutritionist. The patient sees the provider because they want to make changes to their eating habits in order to live healthier. So, what if the provider says, “I think it’s a good idea for you to start adding some vegetables to your meals.” Is that information specific enough?

An example of communicating more effectively would be to say, “I want you to start adding one new vegetable to your lunch and your dinner, like broccoli, beans, or cauliflower. Here’s a book of recipes that are easy to make at home and taste good too.”

The second example offers much more value to the patient because it names specific vegetables and offers additional written communication in the form of the book of recipes. The patient will most likely have fewer questions and leave the office feeling confident that they know how to make changes to their eating habits, for the better.

Choosing words that meet the Six Cs criteria is important, but sometimes we tell a story with more than words.

Face time? I’ll get back to you.

Do you ever just want to be left alone? Maybe you don’t want to talk about your day with your mom or dad. Or, you’re not in the mood to play “I spy” in the car with your 6-year-old sister. So, how do you communicate that you’re not in the mood to engage at that moment?

You might turn your body away from everyone or keep looking down at your phone. When you display this behavior to your parents, your sister or brother, your teacher, or your friends, you are definitely sending a message…one that says, “Leave me alone.” But is that fair or polite? Would that behavior be professional at a job?

Body language may speak louder than words at times.

Professionals in healthcare communicate with co-workers and patients using words but they also can learn a lot from body language and behavior. That’s why it is important to be a good observer. Pay attention to how you are using your body to communicate and start watching the gestures, posture, eye contact and overall mood of communicators to see what they are telling you.

Imagine you are in a provider’s office and the provider comes in to talk to you but never actually looks you in the eye; she only looks at her chart and paper to write notes. How would that make you feel? Kind of ignored or not important, right?

Now imagine the provider is looking at you and paying very close attention. Maybe you are fidgeting. You don’t make eye contact and you can’t seem to sit still. Your provider will probably make note that you seem anxious, shy or embarrassed about something and ask you why. This could open up an important conversation. Maybe then you would feel comfortable to tell them what is on your mind and get the help you need. The provider would learn your whole story from a variety of communication skills—words and body language.

As communicators and receivers of messages, we all deserve respect and want to be heard. It is important that we tune in to one another.

So let’s put the phone down and bring our eyes up. And think about the words we plan to use before we say or type them! These skills will help us have healthier relationships.

#1 - Attention To Detail

Attention to detail is a skill that many claims to have but few actually practice. These skills mean your mind is trained to scan every project and situation and identify possible issues or concerns. It requires you to catch small errors and prevent major problems. While all employers find this trait valuable, it has no greater impact than in healthcare.

For example, let’s say your position requires constant interaction with patients. Each patient comes with a file that lists vital information such as current medications, past conditions, allergies, and more. When they have prescribed a new drug, it may be your responsibility to ensure it does not conflict with anything in that file. These types of serious conflicts may not be clearly labeled. It may be up to you to identify a potential issue hidden within their patient file.

#2 - Time Management

Most people will lament that they do not have enough hours in the day to get everything done. While this may feel true, those who master time management understand that you always have enough time to get the important tasks completed. Time management means understanding how long you have to finish something and tracking how much time needs to be dedicated to other important tasks.

Working in healthcare means doing work that people are counting on. Whether it’s paperwork that allows a patient access to care or research that will be presented for approval, the tasks you work on are vital and time-sensitive. Therefore, you must be able to manage your time efficiently and not allow your day to become monopolized by tasks or projects. Each item on your to-do list must be prioritized and assigned an amount of time in which it is to be completed.

#3 - Communication

Most people will lament that they do not have enough hours in the day to get everything done. While this may feel true, those who master time management understand that you always have enough time to get the important tasks completed. Time management means understanding how long you have to finish something and tracking how much time needs to be dedicated to other important tasks.

Working in healthcare means doing work that people are counting on. Whether it’s paperwork that allows a patient access to care or research that will be presented for approval, the tasks you work on are vital and time-sensitive. Therefore, you must be able to manage your time efficiently and not allow your day to become monopolized by tasks or projects. Therefore, each item on your to-do list must be prioritized and assigned an amount of time in which it is to be completed.

#4 - Working Under Pressure

Think about your daily to-do list. If you need to accomplish several things by the end of the week, you don’t get that stressed. You have more than enough time to do them, and it’s not a big deal. However, if those items must be done by the end of the day, your stress level increases. The same thing goes for schoolwork deadlines. The longer you wait to complete a project, the more pressure you begin to feel.

Working in healthcare is essentially like having a to-do list that must be completed as quickly as possible. Various departments are counting on you to finish your section so they can begin their part. Plus, you will often be asked to stop what you are doing because something more urgent and time-sensitive has come up. Remember, your actions are going to impact a patient in some critical way directly.

It is also important to understand the pressure that comes with improving the health of another human being. For example, you may be conducting research that people are counting on to save lives. You may also be forced to deliver bad test results to a patient or family member. Working in healthcare carries with it a tremendous amount of responsibility and accountability. Therefore, you must practice developing this skill as much as possible.

Let’s Recap

Working in healthcare is unique compared to most other industries. However, it still requires many of the same types of skills to be successful. Below is a quick recap of the skills you need and why they are important.

• Attention To Detail

  • You are being counted on to manage and review vital patient information

• Time Management

  • Certain tasks must not take time away from other important deliverables

• Communication

  • You must learn how to clearly convey important information due to its potential impact and ramifications

• Working Under Pressure

  • Nearly everything you do will be completed under a tight and urgent deadline

If a healthcare career is your desired path forward, it is important to use your time in school to develop and strengthen these four skills.