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ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS OF HEALTH WORKERS IN FMC ABEOKUTA (A STUDY OF PATIENTS AND THEIR RELATIVES)

ABSTRACT

This study examines the assessment of interpersonal communication skills of health workers in FMC Abeokuta. It ascertains how health workers have acquired essential Communication skills needed for effective interpersonal relationship between patients and their families. Relevant theory were used in this study to make the research work more credible were communication theories, health belief model and perception theory. Relevant empirical studies were also examined to investigate the recent perception of scholars relating to the research work. Descriptive research method was used in this study. A well constructed questionnaire was administered to solicit the opinion of the respondents. Findings of the study show that effective communication skill is considered important in improving inter-personal relationships of care givers and patients. It was also revealed that there were practices that are found unacceptable to patients and their caregivers.  The study therefore recommends that medical care givers should try as much as possible to be friendly towards the patients and find out as much information needed before embarking on treatment for the patient. Medical caregivers should be trained in areas of interpersonal communication skills so that they would understand and implement these communication skills to improve the healthcare system in the country.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Communication is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior. Communication is an important and integral part of life, without which no one might survive. Verbal and non-verbal communication starts from birth and does not end until death. Interpersonal communication covers all activities that an individual does when he wants to make a transformation in someone else’s mind.  This is a meaning bridge between an individual or individuals and organization.  Communication  is  a  process  that  contains  expressing,  listening  and  understanding  (Banerji  and  Dayal,  2005).  

Without communication,  through  readings, listening  (the  receptive  skills),  speaking  and  writing  (the  productive  skills) mankind would find it difficult to unravel some of the mysteries of life. Those things that we are ignorant of or have knowledge of, or that we have doubts about can be explained to us better through communication. (Kalla, 2005; Baltas and Baltas,  2002).  

Altinöz (2008) defines  communication  as a  means  through  which  the  task  and  the  resources  needed  to  carry  out  an assignment, the roles and duties and the expected results are made known to the subordinates. This means that communication  is  the  transfer  of  information (a  message) from  one  person  to  another. (Vertino, 2014).

According to Brinkert (2010), communication is needed not only for transmission of information and knowledge to one another, but more significantly to inter-relate as human beings everywhere in the world. Communication surfaces universally in the context of relationships, families, organizations, nature and nations. The fact that communication is almost a natural involuntary action to nearly all, makes placing importance on its effectiveness easily overlooked, Papadantonaki (2006) also added that this occurrence is undeniably evident in healthcare settings as well. Most times health worker as a health care science focuses on meeting the health needs of human as a biopsychosocial and spiritual being, but according to Lambrini and Loanna (2014), health worker practice requires not only scientific knowledge, but an additional effective interpersonal communication, intellectual and technical abilities and skills.

Effective interpersonal and communication skills between health care providers and patients are one of the most significant factors for improving patients’ satisfaction, compliance and overall health outcome (Berengere, 1997). Patients make impression of the health workers’ based on how these health workers’ communicate and relate with them, and the impression nurses pass to patients will influence their satisfaction and hence their healthcare output Papagiannis (2010). Faulkner (1998) argued that, being able to communicate effectively with others is at the hearts of every client care. Clear and kind communication affects the client’s response to health care service. Berengere et al., (1997) stated that clients who understand details of their illness and treatment, whom perceive and believe the provider is concerned about their well-being, often show greater satisfaction with the care received and are more likely to follow with treatment regimes.

Health care workers being members of different institution that from the social system are expected to be patient in skills of communication that would facilitate effective patient-provider relationship in the health sector. Such skill is expected to take into account all aspect of interpersonal communication. These skills may be formal or informal or a combination of these two. Communication skill acquisition should be fashioned after the target audience with concern for their communication needs related to health issues. Periodic workshop and seminar are very essential in the process of skill acquisition.

The general expectation is that, once we can achieve effective communication with patients, their relatives and friends; it becomes easier to have a deeper understanding of their health issues with a view to satisfying their need in this regard. From the foregoing, it becomes imperative to access the communication skill of health workers as a basis for assessing effective health care delivery system.

Akinsuli (2016) in his work; Nigerian cancer survivors perception of care received from healthcare professional’. He opined that cancer patients are known to be more satisfied if their care involves the provision of emotional support, reductions in physical discomfort, and respect for their preference (Gupta, willdes, miller de major, otto & Ramirez, 3013). These factors are important because self-reported satisfaction with healthcare have been associated with lower mentality rates among cancer patients (Gupta etal, 2013). This emphasizes the need for healthcare giver to be more professional by using appropriate communication skills to ensuring patients-provider satisfaction.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

A short visit to the Federal Medical Centre or any public Hospital for that matter will present a gory picture of health workers especially nurses and attendants in the areas of reception and human relation. These workers attitude to patients is most of the time not acceptable. These workers attitude to patients is most of the time not acceptable. They are either nagging or sluggish in the performance of their duties. The picture that one sees as far as health workers are concerned suggests that these set of employees lack essential communication skills needed to relate well with patients and their relatives; or they constantly fail in exhibiting good communication skills in their relationship with healthcare facility patrons.

Most studies have reported poor nurse-patient relationships. For instance, Owen-Ibie, (2013) opined that nurse-patient communication has not led to personal satisfaction. This is due to the fact that health care quality is strongly affected by nurse-patient relationship, and lack of communication skills (or not using them) has a negative impact on services provided for the patients. The results of previous studies (Denis, 2004) have shown that nurses have been trained to establish an effective communication; however, they do not use these skills to interact with their patients in clinical environments (Heaven, Clegg, & Maguire, 2006). Similarly, nurses and nursing professionals in general, have not made a lot of effort for establishing positive interactions with the patients. Many reported problems are related to the decreased sense of altruism among hospital staff including nurses (Bridges et al., 2013).

As observed by Paul (2011) who reports of health workers avoiding discussion of the emotional and social impact of patients’ problems because it distressed them when they could not handle these issues or they did not have the time to do so adequately. This situation negatively affected health workers emotionally and tended to increase patients’ distress. This avoidance behaviour may result in patients being unwilling to disclose problems, which could delay and adversely impact their recovery.

Hospitalized patients in all ages often experience complex communication needs including mobility, sensory, and cognitive needs as well as language barriers during their stay (Downey & Happ, 2013). Hospitalization is potentially stressful and involves unpleasant experiences for patients and their families.  The impact of the negative attitude to work by health care providers in public and private hospitals in Nigeria, is particularly worrisome. Years of poor communication problem particularly in the public sector has further endangered lives of patients, many already in critical condition or dead (Owen-Ibie, 2013)

1.3       OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to examine the assessment of communication skills of health workers in FMC Abeokuta. (A case study of FMC patients and relatives). Other specific objectives of the study however are to;

1.    To assess the level and extent to which health workers have acquired essential Communication skills needed for effective interpersonal relationship between patients and their families.

2.    To find out some of the practices that are found unacceptable to patients and their caregivers.

3.    To find out which category of health workers are mostly culpable.

4.    To know the patient’s perception of healthcare workers communication skills. 

1.4      RESEACH QUESTIONS

1.    What is the level and extent of healthcare worker communication skills needed for effective interpersonal relationship between patients and their caregivers?

2.    To what extent do the communication skills enhance the effectiveness of health worker and care givers.

3.    To what extent do these communication skills facilitate patients’ satisfaction from health workers and caregivers?

4.    What are the practices that are found unacceptable to patients and their caregivers?

5.    Which category of health workers are mostly culpable of unacceptable display of communication skills?

6.    What is the patient’s perception of healthcare workers –patient communication skills?

1.5       RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: There is need for effective communication in interpersonal relationship between patients and their caregiver

H1: There is no need for effective communication in interpersonal relationship between patients and their caregiver.

H0: Communication skill enhance the effectiveness of health workers and caregiver.

H2: Communication skill does not enhance the effectiveness of health workers and caregiver. 

H0: Communication skill facilitates the patient satisfaction from the health workers and caregiver

H3: Communication skill does not facilitate the patient satisfaction from the health workers and caregiver.

1.6       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is hoped to be of benefits to Health care workers, patients, hospitals, NHIS, Ministry of health, World Health Organization (WHO), Nursing school and school of medicine. The study also hopes to highlight the essential Communication skills needed for effective interpersonal relationship between patients and their caregivers and also provide solution to some of the practices that are found unacceptable to patients and their caregivers.

It will be an added value and benefit to the other researcher and student of other institutions in related course

The findings in this study will have both theoretical and practical contributions by adding to the existing knowledge on research that has already been done in relation to communication skills of health care workers.

1.7       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study will cover various activities of Federal Medical Center Abeokuta on communication skills of healthcare workers.

1.8       DEFINITION OF TERMS

Communication This is the process of transmitting information, ideas and attitudes from one person to another.

Healthcare worker: These are individual who is a non-staffs or staff, friend/relatives of patients. In this study healthcare workers doctors and nurses.

Patients: a person who is under medical care or treatment.

Caregiver: individual who is not staffs, friend/relative of patient.

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