workers to understand the nature and the severity of child, congruently, it would be difficult to relieve the discomfort effectively and safely. However, The American Pain Society (Sept. 2001, vol. 8) argued it is important to be sure that children ages between 3 and 7 years, are competent enough to provide information in reporting of location, quality, intensity, and tolerability are accepted. Furthermore, the usage of communication enables an active participation to pediatric patients, its goal is to raise their concerns, ask questions and their adherence to medication regimens and medical interventions (Levetown 2008).
For example, the use of patient controlled analgesia (PCA), child can managed his pain because he was properly informed of the action of the PCA. Thus, he’s in control of his therapy and makes an active partners in his treatment plan (p. 1446). The second major function of effective communication is it builds trust. Effective health professional communication is important in building a trusting relationship between the pediatric patient and to their families.
According to Munoz and Luckman (2005), in order to develop trust nurses or doctor must be willing to listen, talk and provide accurate and truthful information, in addition by being available or to open to questions the caregiver or the child may have. Costello (2010) narrates that PICU is a unique, unfamiliar, and frightening environment, and children have limited information and a high degree of uncertainty about what they are experiencing. Having a communication concerning non-related issues conveys warmth and forms a trusting bond.
Addressing their fears and anxieties by talking and being with their simply creates a relationship. Costello et al,. (2010) gave an example, some children perceived that the reason they were in PICU were caused by germs and the staff will respond based upon how well they express their pain. Effective communication is vital in order children to communicate their needs and feelings about comfort and pain (p. 290), thus, understanding the nature of pain of the child promotes trust between the health worker and sick child.
On the other hand, according to Pena and Juan (2011) that when faced with a child who does not speak, touching and physical contact by the nurses or physician are means of communication that are present in the interactions with the infant or toddlers relating to the transmission of feelings of affection, safety and tranquility. Providing a sheltered environment which is essential to the hospitalized child parents according to Mattsson et al,. (2014) is the last major function of effective communication.
Security is being form when the medical workers exhibit competency and educating the information using the techniques of therapeutic communication. When the nurses showed skills and knowledge beyond the obvious situation that their child was in, or when the physician showed knowledge about the child’s history of sickness, security and trust were built between the parents and the personnel. Markides (2011) notes that supporting the child’s parent is: Trying to understand the parents point of view on their child’s sickness even they disagree with them and never criticizes.
A professional health worker doesn’t command warn, judge or tell them what to do. Providing information through education is a major challenges place to health professionals Plymouth et al,. (2008). Effective and understandable communication between parents and professionals benefits the child, decreases parental stress and anxiety levels, and is the basis of trust. It is when the parents where informed continuously and chronologically about the child’s treatment, mediations and recovery of the parents felt that their worried had eased (p. 41). Families of the sick child felt secure, involved and confident with the care when they knew what to expect and understood why things they were.
However, Levetown (2015) points out no communication is more difficult than telling a bad news or a poor prognosis to parents of the pediatric patient. Guidelines have been promulgated in every hospital using the effective communication to suggest support, understanding and coping mechanism with the bad news to the parents (p. 450). Educating family members with the management caused by the disease using effective communication lessen stress, fears and pain. Clearly, each of the functions of effective communication plays a significant role. The question is what are the impacts of effective communication to the recovery of the hospitalized children in PICUs. The results of having an effective communication are tremendously great to the rehabilitation of the sick child.
Its outcomes are; it improves the information flows, effective interventions, improve safety and quality of children and decrease lengths of stay. Studies have shown that 71% of malpractice techniques are the results of communication problems (Younis et al,. 2015). Healthcare communication serves as a channel for safe medical practice. The Joint Commission International (CI) reported that communication failures as the leading root cause for medication errors and delays in treatment and wrongs site surgeries (p. 110).