Barriers to Communication

weeks 6-7
Minimizing Communication Barriers
Be aware that they exist
Take appropriate action to overcome them
Potential Environmental Barriers

The next time you enter a Community Pharmacy, check for the following:
Is the Pharmacist visible?
Is it easy to get the Pharmacist's attention?
Does it appear that the Pharmacist wants to talk to the Patients?
Is the prescription area conducive to private conversation?
Do you have to speak to the Pharmacist through a third party?
Is there a lot of background noise or are there a lot other distractions?
Potential Pharmacist's-Related Personal Barriers

Low self-confidence
Shyness
Disfunctional internal monologue
Lack of objectivity
Cultural differences
Discomfort in sensitive situations
Negative perceptions about the value of patient intercation
Other Barriers Related to Culture

Definitions of Illness (some patients may not perceive

themselves to be ill)
Perceptions of what to do when ill (some cultures stress self-
reliance rather than seeking help)
Health-related habbits or customs (eating habbits)
Health seeking behaviour (some cultures place more reliance
on folk medicine)
Perceptions of helath care providers (based on possible distrust
of the health care system or past negative experiences)
Patient-Related Personal Barriers
Patients perceive you as not being unknowledgable or
trustworthy, they will tend not to ask questions or listen to
advice being offered
Patients perceive that you do not want to talk with them they
will not approach you
Patients belief that the health care system is impersonal
(Patients sense health care providers are not concerned about
them as individuals but rather as cases or disease states)
Patients perceptions of their medical condition
Administrative Barriers
Case Study 4.1
A pediatrician phoned two different antibiotic prescriptions into a
pharmacy, one for Bian Bentley and one for Brandon Bentley.
Unfortunately the Pharmacy assistant did not recognize that two different
names were given and did not realize that they were twins. She
subsequently typed both prescriptions for Brian (Brandon sound like Brian
to her). The father picked up both prescription and gave them both to Brian.
Unfortunately the mother was attending a PTA meeting that night and did
not discover the error until the next day. She called the pharmacy and
clarified the issue. Fortunately, Brian was not injured by taking a few doses
of both antibiotics.
Time Barriers
Inappropriate time to inisiate conversation may lead to
communcation failure
Assess non verbal messages from the patient for assurances that
conversation is well timed
Do they appear listening to you?
Summary
Interpersonal conversation is fragile process
Messages become helpful to others only when they are
accurately received and understood
If messages are distorted or are incorrect they actually may be
harmful to patient care and interpersonal relationships.
Failure to communicate may lead to negative patient outcome
Barriers may lead to distortion of messages and
misssunderstandings between you and others
Review Questions
1. What is the first step in removing environmental and personal
barriers to communication?
2. What are etleast 3 patients barrier that inhibit communication?
3. How can the current nature of Pharmacy practice inhibit good
communication?