Essay about Unit 1 P1

Submitted By missy9801
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Unit 1 P1
Explain the role of effective communication and interpersonal interaction in a health and social care context.
In a health and social care setting effective communication is key. May different types of people use a health and social care setting therefore knowing how to communicate with them is needed.
One-to-one communication:
Having a conversation with an individual that you may not know that well or even at all may be awkward therefore you should always try to start off positively. You could do this by saying “good morning” or “hello, how are you?” this shows the person you are interacting with that you are approachable and friendly. This should always be done before telling the person complicated issues or giving the person information. Once you have created a good feeling you are now able to tell them the issues they face or whatever you would like to talk about. When ending the conversation you also want to end positively so you may want to say “see you soon”. This shows that you value them. In a health and social care setting a one-to-one conversation would take place often. For example, a nurse may have a one-to-one conversation with the doctor about a patient or nurse and patient. These three steps of how to have an effective conversation will allow anyone in any situations to communicate with another individual.
Group communication:
Taking part in a group conversation still requires the same steps in a one-to-one conversation however, the steps are more in-depth. In a group conversation everybody needs to be involved within the conversation. The group discussion will only work if people would like to be involved. Some people may be quiet in a group conversation as they are worried about what the group will think about what they say and how they will react to what they say. The people involved in the group discussion should try and use humour or other friendly ways to get people engaged and encouraged to talk. When talking in the group conversation many non-verbal ways to communicate also need to be involved. This includes things such as, eye contact, body language, gestures etc. in some group discussions there may be a group leader. The group leader may also encourage other people in the group to involve their ideas. For example, the doctors and nurses may have a group conversation about a patient’s health and what treatments they should be advised to have or take. A group conversation will not work if everyone is talking at the same time therefore they should take turns to speak. This way everyone is putting their point across. When an individual involved in the group conversation is about to finish what they are saying they usually lower their voice tone to symbol that they are finishing. These should be used in a health and social care setting to allow everyone to get involved, so that they can discuss what is needed for the patient for example.

Informal communication:
A person usually talks informally to someone they have known a while such as a friend or a family member. Friends and family may use different words that other people may not understand. Local groups may have a different way of talking others in that group that outsiders of the group will not understand. For example, people in southern England may start off a conversation by saying, “hello mate, whats gowan’in?” people in this group will understand that the person is asking if they are alright therefore taking it as a friendly greeting. But different groups of people use different informal language so it may be hard to understand what they are saying, this could potentially be a barrier to communication.
Formal communication:
In a health and social care setting work often involves the use of formal communication throughout the workplace. In a hospital, at the reception desk you are expecting to be greeted by “good morning. How can I help you?” this is an example of formal communication. This can be understood and decoded by a range