This document discusses communication skills and medical ethics. It defines communication as the meaningful exchange of information between people with the goal of creating shared understanding. The communication process involves a sender encoding a message and transmitting it through a channel to a receiver who decodes the message. Effective communication considers the context, and can be impaired by noise such as psychological, physical, physiological, semantic, or channel issues. Barriers to communication include cultural differences, attitudes, systems design, and noise from the environment or transmission of the message.

1. Communication skills &Medical
Ethics (CME 115)
MWENYA PETER
2023 INTAKE

2. Introduction
This course will equip student to apply essential
communication techniques for interacting with
patients, relatives and colleagues within the
health care team.
It will also prepare student to write academically
and learn medical ethics, etiquette and provide
medical care in a professional manner

3. EXERCISE

4. Definition of communication
Communication is the act of conveying information
for the purpose of creating a shared understanding.
It is the meaningful exchange of information between
two or a group of people

5. Definition of communication
According to Adler and Towne (1978), all that ever
has been accomplished and all that ever will be
accomplished by humans involves communication
with others.
 Many social and organizational problems derive
from unsatisfactory relationships brought about by
inadequate communication between people

6. Why do communicate?

8. Goal of communication
The goal of communication is to convey
information—and the understanding of
that information—from one person or
group to another person or group.

9.  Communication’s goal is to convey
information through the exchange of
thoughts, messages, or information, as
by speech, visuals, signals, writing, or
behaviour.

10. communication process
 This communication process is divided
into three basic components: A sender
transmits a message through a channel
to the receiver

11.  The communication process is
complete once the receiver has
understood the message of the
sender.

12. Elements/ Components of communication
 The elements of communication include
Context. Sender/Encoder, Message,
Medium, Receiver, Decoder, Feedback.

13. encoding
The act of communication begins
with internal processing about
information or feelings you want to
share with someone else (encoding)

14. Channel/Medium
 the message is sent through either spoken or
written words, which completes encoding
(channel)

15. Decoding
 At the other end of communication is
receiving and interpreting what was sent
(decoding)

16. Feedback
 The recipient can and should confirm receipt
to the sender to close the communication
loop.

17. Context
Considering the context of communication improves its
effectiveness.
Context takes into consideration the age, region, sex
and intellectual abilities of the recipient.
 It is also useful to assess receptivity and the emotional
state of the sender and receiver at the time of
communication

18. Body language
Also called nonverbal communication, body language
includes posture, position of hands and arms, eye contact
and facial expression.
 Children learn to read body language as a way to enhance
understanding of the speaker's intent.
 Body language that is inconsistent with content creates a
question in the mind of the listener about the real message.

19. Emotional Interference
Emotions can interfere with effective communication.
 If the sender is angry, his ability to send effective
messages may be negatively affected.
 Considering emotions, language and conceptual barriers
is essential to effective communication.

20. Communication noise
Forms of communication noise include;
 psychological noise
 physical noise
Physiological
 semantic noise

21. Psychological noise
Psychological noise results from preconceived notions we
bring to conversations, such as racial stereotypes,
reputations, biases, and assumptions38.
 When we come into a conversation with ideas about what
the other person is going to say and why, we can easily
become blinded to their original message

22. Physical noise
Physical noise is any external or environmental stimulus that
distracts us from receiving the intended message sent by a
communicator
Noisy background may often created by colleagues or
machinery

23. Distractions like poor lighting or poorly
ventilated environment(too hot or cold
can all affect people's morale and
concentration, which in turn interfere
with effective communication

24. Semantic noise
This type of noise occurs when grammar or
technical language is used that the receiver (the
decoder) cannot understand, or cannot understand
clearly

25. Cultural noise
 Cultural differences created by an individual's
background and experience affect their
perception of the world.
Cultural differences may affect the
interpretation (decoding) of the message sent

26. Physiological-impairment noise
 Physical disabilities that prevent effective
communication(actual deafness or blindness)
 It may include physical illness

27. Syntactical noise
Mistakes in grammar can disrupt
communication, such as abrupt changes in
verb tense during a sentence.

28. Channel issues
Channel used to transfer the information may be poor
and may prevent all or some of the information being
transferred.
 Examples include a faulty fax machine, a crackling phone,
handwriting that cannot be read or in the case of oral
messages incorrect facial gestures.

29. Receivers Attitude and behaviour
Lack of interested in the message (or unable
to give their full attention to decoding)
leading to the accuracy of the information
transmitted to them.
Misinterpret the message and may jump to
wrong conclusion

30. Reading the message in a manner that
suits their own interests/objectives and
distort the true meaning of the message

31. Transmission journey
Steps in the message take to transmit the message may
be complicated
It may involve lots of steps taken to transfer the message
which may affect the accuracy or interpretation.

32. Comparing with the leaky bucket, over a long
distance more water will probably be lost than if
the journey was shorter

33. System design
System design faults refer to problems with the
structures or systems in place in an organization.
Examples: organizational structure which is unclear
and therefore makes it confusing to know whom to
communicate with.

34. Inefficient or inappropriate information systems, a lack
of supervision or training.
Lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities which can
lead to staff being uncertain about what is expected of
them.

35. Attitudinal barriers
 Poor management, lack of consultation.
 Personality conflicts
 Delaying or refusing to communicate
 Personal attitudes of individual employees
Resistance to change due to entrenched attitudes and
ideas.)

38. REFERENCES
 Adler, R., & Towne, N. (1978). Looking out/looking in (2nd ed.). New York: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston.
 Velentzas / Mamalis / Broni, Communication, Public Relations & Advertisement, IuS,
2010, p. 11-12.