CMST 310 - Interpersonal Communication in Diverse Healthcare Settings

5 Credits

Students will apply communication concepts and theories to the culturally diverse healthcare workplace, focusing on patient-practitioner interactions and effective communication with the multidisciplinary care team, as well as patient’s families and advocates. Themes include ethical communication, listening, nonverbal communication, language, giving and receiving feedback, conflict management, and cultural responsiveness in common health-related scenarios.

Instructor Permission Required Yes
Program Admission Required Yes Admitted Program BAS - R C
FeesCF

Quarters Typically Offered
Winter Online
Designed to Serve Students entering into health professions
Active Date 20230320T11:44:03

Grading Basis Decimal Grade
Class Limit 28
Contact Hours: Lecture 55
Total Contact Hours 55
Degree Distributions:
BAS

Communications

Course Outline

Communication models and reflections in one’s practice; self-awareness
1. How to be an expert learner
2. Reflection and self-awareness
3. Reflective and reflexive practice
4. Conflict between needs and values
5. The reflection project: Self-assessment and formulation of practices for strengthening of myriad communication skills
Person-Centered Care, Introductions/Information, & Questioning, Comforting, Confronting
1. ICF model
2. Mutual understanding, respect, empathy in person or family-centered healthcare interactions
3. Environmental introductions for emotional safety
4. Turning closed/leading questions into open/probing questions
5. Encouraging versus trivializing responses
6. Complimentary nonverbal communication for empathetic responses
Awareness of Personal Assumptions & Awareness of the Persons for Healthcare Communication & Communicating with Indigenous Persons & Ethics
1. Personal assumptions and stereotypical judgments
2. Communication accommodations for “whole person” attributes i.e., physical, sexual, cognitive, social, or spiritual needs.
3. Communicating with Indigenous persons in the healthcare system
4. Transforming unethical communication to ethical communication
Effective Conclusions of Interactions and Services & Nonverbal Communication for the Healthcare Professional

5. Listening, Environments, Holistic Communication, Culture

Student Learning Outcomes
Practice articulating effective verbiage used in common interactions (effective introductions/conclusions, delivering information, asking questions, and providing feedback) with diverse patients in hypothetical situations.

Practice using verbiage that reflects ethical communication and a “whole person” approach with diverse patients, families, providers, and healthcare staff in hypothetical situations.

Assess effective nonverbal communication during interactions with diverse patients, families, providers, and healthcare staff in the healthcare setting.

Practice articulating verbiage that reflects culturally safe communication practices (effective listening, holistic communication, and environmental validation) in hypothetical situations with diverse patients.

Practice articulating verbiage that reflects effective conflict management when facing hypothetical misunderstandings with diverse patients, families, providers, and healthcare staff.

Formulate strategies to strengthen interpersonal communication skills and improve effectiveness of practitioner/patient interactions, based on reflection of existing communication behaviors and habits.