Communication with Interdisciplinary Exchanges (Nursing)

00:00 Amy was peeved at Michael from the lab.

00:05 They were trying to move forward with the patient care, but could not do anything until he processed the x-rays.

00:13 She had contacted him several times, but still did not have a response.

00:20 She did not fully know what they were doing at the lab, but clearly it was not the work that they were hired to do.

00:28 She began to get angry and think less of the people in the lab, "those lazy bums!" Meanwhile, Michael was running around trying to process all of his requests with one machine down and another operating at capacity.

00:47 He saw Amy's messages and became very frustrated. They were busy in the lab.

00:53 They could not stop everything they were doing just to fill her request.

00:59 She was in the queue and would have the results soon.

01:03 By the end of the exchange, the two were furious with one another after minimal communication from both ends.

01:11 This brings up a very common skill that you should exercise in your healthcare profession.

01:18 You should be proactive in your communication in interdisciplinary exchanges.

01:24 In this lesson, I'll share some questions that you should ask in your interdisciplinary exchanges for better understanding and communication.

01:35 First, you should understand these 2 questions.

01:40 First, ask what do they do and what do they impact.

01:49 Amy thought that Michael was being lazy in the lab when in reality Michael was very busy.

01:57 Michael did not understand that Amy was trying to provide quicker service to the patient.

02:04 Neither understood what the other person did in their job and how their job impacted the overall patient experience process.

02:15 So, seek to understand the other disciplines and how they can make a positive impact in the patient experience.

02:25 Next, I want you to ask "What do they need? and What are their challenges?" Okay, so you better understand what the other discipline does.

02:39 Now, I want you to seek a better understanding about what they need.

02:46 What are the biggest challenges that this discipline undertakes? It's probably different from your department. Every department has each challenges.

02:59 Better seek to understand their challenges so that you can better empathize with the other team.

03:08 Lastly, I want you to ask "How can I help?" Amy and Michael's frustrations might have been decreased tremendously with this one question.

03:22 Perhaps, Amy could have provided more information in the request for a faster read time.

03:29 Maybe Michael could have given Amy what he had completed while he was waiting for the rest of the information to process.

03:37 Maybe, there would have been lessened tension just by the question of someone sincerely genuinely offering empathy and support.

03:48 There may be many situations where there isn't much that you can do, but by offering understanding and support, you can create a better working dynamic.

04:01 Understanding the entire process of the patient experience from insurance to billing, to lab, to cleaning, to doctors, to documentation, to medication can all impact our ability to effectively work together.

04:17 So, here is what I want you to do when working with interdisciplinary exchanges.

04:24 I want you to seek understanding in what the other departments do.

04:29 What are their challenges and how could you help create a smoother process for a better overall experience?