Verbal communication

• Verbal communication 


  Is exchanging information using speech.

  Good communication means that service users can:

  • Be actively involved in their care
  • Let their needs be known
  • Make informed choices – they will have the information that they need to understand procedures or plans for their care.
• A service provider uses their skills when they:

  • Give or receive information
  • Provide emotional support
  • Carry out an assessment
  • Participate in CPD (continuing professional development)
  • Receive or deliver training
• Adapting types/methods of communicating can bring many benefits. For example:

  • it develops good working relationships between service practitioners and service users
  • it builds mutual trust and respect
  • it shows the service user they are being valued.
• Clarity means:

  You will deliver a specific message with very specific goals.

  Description:

  Speaking clearly, speaking standard English, ensuring you can be understood and information is accurate.

  Examples:

  • Give clear information to patients so they know what is going to happen to avoid misunderstandings
  • Not mumbling when asking a service user what they would like to eat, so that they can hear what you are saying
  • Not using jargon when explaining the complaints process to a service user in hospital
• Empathy means:

  you can understand what a person is feeling in a given moment

  Description:

  • You understand another person’s experience and feelings, e.g. positive, negative
  • choosing the words you say carefully, e.g. ensuring you are polite, professional, respectful
  • expressing the words you say sensitively
  • adapting the words you say and how you express them to meet the needs of a service user

  Example:

  A care worker who uses kind and reassuring words when visiting an individual who has experienced the death of someone close to them

  Empathy is not the same as sympathy
• Patience means:

  the ability to wait, or to continue doing something despite difficulties, or to suffer without complaining or becoming annoyed

  Description:

  • checking with the service user that you’ve understood what they are communicating
  • giving the service user sufficient time to communicate
  • not rushing or interrupting a service user during a communication

  Example:

  • A care worker not getting irritated with a patient and giving them time so they do not feel rushed
  • A service user who is upset may require more time to communicate why they are upset
• Vocabulary is:

  The collection of words used in order to communicate effectively and with understanding

  Description:

  • Using language that they can understand
  • Using non offensive language

  Example:

  • not using offensive language with patients so they are not offended
  • the word ‘nappy’ is appropriate to use in an early years setting, but not in a health or social care setting where service users are adults and where ‘incontinence pad’ would be used instead
  • using vocabulary that is rude or sexist or racist is not tolerated in health and social care settings.
• Tone means:

  how your character comes through in your words. It's not about what you say, but rather the way you say it

  Description:

  • ensuring your tone of voice is appropriate to the situation, e.g. a high tone of voice may be appropriate to encourage a child to play but inappropriate when engaging with an adult during an activity (as it may be interpreted as patronising).
  • Varying your tone to maintain engagement

  Example:

  • A support worker speaking to a dementia patient in a soft tone rather than harsh, emphasising words that are important.
• Volume means:

  How loudly or quietly you need to speak

  Description:

  • high volume could indicate anger or excitement
  • low volume could indicate sadness or calmness or cause misunderstandings if others can’t hear you

  Example:

  • Speaking to a service user who has a hearing impairment using a very low volume may be confusing because the service user will not be able to hear what you are communicating.
  • Instead, speaking less quietly and without mumbling would be better and make it more likely that you’ll be understood
• Pace is:

  This is the speed at which you talk.

  Description:

  • If speech is too fast, then listeners will not have time to assimilate what is being said. It is also a good idea to vary the pace - quickening up at times and then slowing down – because this will help to maintain interest.

  Example:

  • A doctor speaking to another doctor may use a faster pace because both individuals understand the context. A doctor speaking to a patient would use a slower pace in order to give them time to listen and process what is being said.
• Team working is:

  When a group work together to achieve a common goal.

  Description:

  • being clear when communicating, i.e. in what you say, the words you use, how you say them,
  • listening to others, i.e. taking the time to listen to what others have to say

  Examples:

  • When communicating with a colleague to assist a service user who has a physical disability to move from their wheelchair to their bed
  • When participating in a discussion about a service user’s care ensure you listen to what is being discussed, make a contribution to the discussion by giving your opinion.
• What is effective Verbal Speaking clearly with clarity

  • Knowing your audience and know when to demonstrate

  empathy and patience

  • Using appropriate language/vocabulary
  • Understanding the message you are trying to convey
  • Speaking at the correct pace, tone and volume