C920 Module 2
Student Name
Western Governors University
C920 Contemporary Curriculum Design and Development in Nursing Education
Prof. Name
Date
Course Overview
The course titled “The Role of the BSN Nurse in Promoting Community Health” provides an introductory exploration into Community Health Nursing. This class meets once a week for two hours, focusing on delivering foundational knowledge related to community health concepts. Among the central themes covered are the Social Determinants of Health, strategies for health promotion, and the different levels of health prevention, which range from primary to tertiary interventions.
Students are also introduced to crucial communication and collaboration techniques that are essential to ensuring patient safety within healthcare environments. A special emphasis is placed on understanding the unique healthcare needs of vulnerable populations, recognizing how social, economic, and environmental factors influence their health outcomes. To foster active student engagement, the course incorporates interactive teaching strategies such as concept mapping, role-playing, and group discussions. These methodologies align with the standards set by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials, ensuring that the content remains both relevant and rigorous for nursing education.
Module Title
Communication and Collaboration in Public Health
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be equipped to:
| Objective Number | Objective Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Explain the significance of professional communication within healthcare settings. |
| 2 | Summarize how professional communication supports effective collaboration among healthcare professionals. |
| 3 | Discuss the role of communication in enhancing patient safety and reducing medical errors. |
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module, students will demonstrate the following abilities:
| Outcome Number | Outcome Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Identify and distinguish characteristics of professional versus unprofessional communication. |
| 2 | Explain how collaboration contributes to delivering patient-centered care effectively. |
Content Overview: Communication and Collaboration in Public Health
This module addresses several essential topics related to communication and teamwork in the healthcare context, including:
- The importance of maintaining professional communication at all organizational levels to ensure the efficient delivery of healthcare services.
- How professional communication fosters collaboration among healthcare providers across diverse clinical settings.
- Techniques for recognizing and differentiating between professional and unprofessional communication behaviors.
- The direct influence of communication and collaboration on patient-centered care outcomes, especially in reducing preventable medical errors and improving patient safety.
Scenario-Based Learning Activity
Scenario:
Imagine you are a newly employed nurse at a local health department. You are tasked with educating a 40-year-old patient recently diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Despite your clear efforts to provide preventive education and support, the patient shows resistance and dissatisfaction.
Group Role Play:
Students will be divided into small groups to create role-play scenarios. These will demonstrate examples of both professional and unprofessional communication between a Bachelor’s-prepared community health RN and patients or coworkers. Each student will alternate roles between nurse and patient. After each role-play, a debriefing session will help identify communication strengths and areas for improvement, with a focus on reducing unprofessional behaviors and enhancing empathetic engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is professional communication important in healthcare?
Professional communication is critical because it facilitates clear, respectful, and effective exchanges of information among healthcare providers. This clarity is essential for accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatment planning, and ultimately, ensuring patient safety.
How does professional communication promote collaboration?
By fostering trust and minimizing misunderstandings, professional communication ensures that all healthcare team members share a common understanding of patient care objectives and interventions, which is vital for effective teamwork.
In what ways does communication promote patient safety?
Effective communication minimizes the risk of healthcare errors by guaranteeing that crucial information is relayed accurately and promptly, thereby preventing mistakes that could potentially harm patients.
How can one recognize professional versus unprofessional communication?
| Communication Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Professional Communication | Uses a respectful tone, promotes clarity, involves active listening, and provides appropriate feedback. |
| Unprofessional Communication | Includes interruptions, dismissive or disrespectful language, unclear messages, and lack of empathy. |
References
American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN). (2008). The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (pp. 1–62). Retrieved March 18, 2022, from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/BaccEssentials08.pdf
C920 Module 2
O’Daniel, M., & Rosenstein, A. H. (2008). Professional communication and team collaboration. In R. G. Hughes (Ed.), Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses (Chapter 33, pp. 271–281). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2637/