Dr.Valliammal ShanmugamLecturer

College of NursingNIMHANS

Bangalore -29

Communication and Interpersonal Relationship in Nursing

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DEFINITION

Communication implies exchange of information & understanding among people. It involves

Transmission and reception of

messages People are involved Process

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SIGNIFICANCE

• Planning

• Organizing

• Leading

• Controlling

• Motivation

• Emotional Expression

• Information

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PROCESS OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

Process of communication involves several partsThe SenderEncodingThe MessageThe ChannelDecodingThe receiverFeed back

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Written communication channels

Iincludes letters, memorandum, reports, manuals and forms. Written materials provide hard copies for storage and retrieval in case documented evidence is needed later.

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Electronic channels

Include e-mail, voice mail, portable telephones, facsimile (Fax) machines, telecommunicating, networked computers (Integrated data bases, on-line “chat session” etc.), video conferencing, cellular telephones and telecommunicating (it refers to where employee actually work at home while linked to the office through computers, data net works, fax machines and telephones).

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Factors influencing organizational communication

• Formal Channel of Communication

• Authority Structure

• Job Specialization

• Information Ownership

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COMMUNICATION FLOWS

Within organization there are 5 directions in which communication flows; downward, upward, lateral, diagonal and external.

Downward Flow: To convey job related information to employees at

lower levels. Absence of it, results in role ambiguity, stress and anxiety among employees. Eg. Group Meetings, Budgets, Operational Procedures, Circulars.

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There are 5 specific ways for downward communication. They are

a) Specific task directives

b) Job rationale

c) Procedures and Practices

d) Feedback

e) Indoctrination of goals

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Distortions of downward communication

a) Reliance upon written diffusion methods

b) Message over load

c) Timing

d) Filtering

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Ways to improve downward communication

a)   Specify the objectives for communicating

b)   Keep content of communication with

qualities like accuracy, specificity & no-

hidden meanings.

c) Employ best communication techniques to get the message across the receiver

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Upward flow• Lower level employees are expected to

provide upward communication about their performance & problems.

• It encourages participation in decision making process & submit valuable ideas, able to get feed back on how well subordinates have understood downward communication;

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• Serves the way to know the subordinates, diagnose misinterpretation, disclose the first symptoms of tension & difficulties & make subordinate’s views more visible to superiors;

• When employees are given opportunity to voice dissatisfaction to higher levels, they tend to be more committed to the organization.

• Common forms of upward communication are suggestion boxes, open door policies, group meetings, grievances, questions & feedback.

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Distortions of Upward communication

a) Hierarchy in organization: Subordinates feel that they are expected to listen to their bosses rather than to be listened to. Some supervisors are less in habit of listening to subordinates.

b) Subordinates may tell only what they want the

supervisor to know.

c) Employees have fear of expressing true feelings

about the boss.

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d) Supervisor may not be able to communicate with many sub-ordinates on an individual basis.

e) Many times supervisor adopt an open door policy & assume that individuals who have something to communicate will do so voluntarily.

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Ways to improve upward communication

• Better listening• Building Trust• Giving response to messages• Counselling• Grievance systems• Consultive Supervisions• Meetings

Contd….16

• Suggestion Systems

• Job satisfaction surveys

• Open door policy

• Participation in a social group

• Encouraging letters from employees (News letter)

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Lateral Flow or Horizontal Communication

It takes place between peers. It is needed to

achieve cooperation among group members

and between work groups. It also provides

emotional & social support to individuals.

Contd…

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Purposes: Task coordination – HOD’s monthly

meeting Problem solving – how to handle a

threatened budget through Delphi technique

Information sharing Conflict resolution – HOD’s help each

other to resolve conflict within or with another department.

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Problems in horizontal communication

Too much may weaken organization structure.  Too many messages flowing in all directions

would lead to anarchy.  Departments do not generally like to share

information with other departments because of

rivalry.  Too much of job specialization results in

becoming an island itself.

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Ways to improve lateral flow communication

Maintain balance between vertical & horizontal communication through flexible procedures that provides guidelines about when & how employees should use horizontal communication.

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Form a committee having employees from

different department to involve in problem

solving

Conduct training sessions on team work in

which employees gain an appreciation of

horizontal communication.

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Diagonal communication

Takes place between a ward supervisor of

Pavilion I and members of Pavilion III. It is needed to interact with employees regarding her particular function.

For e.g..Pavilion I ward supervisor ask the nurses of Pavilion III what kind of craft works they take up with their patients, so that same kind of craft works could be assigned to patients in Pavilion-I

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External communication

Takes place between a ward supervisor and

outside groups like banks, financial agencies, fire control officers etc. A ward cannot operate in a vacuum.

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COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

A communication network is the pattern of communication flows among various positions in an organization. It enhances coordination & reinforces authority structure. It determines who gets what information and how satisfied the members are with their functions or places in the groups.

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Forms of communication networks.

• a wheel

• a chain

• a letter ‘y’

• a circle, or

• all channel

Among all the networks, the chain network scores high on all the factors, following ‘Y’ and others.

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COMMUNICATION ROLES

• Gate Keepers

• Liaisons

• Isolates

• Cosmopolites

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COMMUNICATION AUDIT The form major communication networks that need to

be audited are;The task related networks pertaining to policies,

procedures, rules and superior-subordinate relationships

The innovative network, which includes problem solving, meetings & suggestions for change.

The integrative network, which consists of praise, rewards, promotions & those items that link enterprise goals with personal needs; and

The information-instructive network includes Organization’s, Publication and Bulletin Boards etc.

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INFORMAL COMMUNICATION

Grapevine: is the communication carried out either in face-to-the face inter action or over the phone. This may be task oriented or social characteristics of the grapevine. 

• Impossible to eliminate• Information travels more rapidly than through

official communication channels• Spontaneous form of expression, more gratifying

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• More information without official censorship & filtering.

• On non-controversial topics related to organization, 75% is accurate

• Emotionally charged information is likely to be distorted

• Only less than 10% of the groups enter into grapevine.

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Types of grapevines

• Chain system

• Cluster system

• Gossip system

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Advantages of Grapevine

• Develops corporate identity, builds team work & motivates people.

• Supplements formal communication, reflects the deep psychological need of people to talk about their job & their organization

• gives happiness of passing timely new information giving a feeling of to be in touch & well informed & has social value

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Disadvantage

• Can be erroneous

• Difficult to check rumours.

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Rumour

1.    It is the unjudicious & false information that is communicated without factual evidence.

Rumour serves 4 purposes: to structure & reduce anxiety to make sense of fragmented or limited

information to serve as a platform to organize group members to signal a sender’s status or power

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Ways to control rumour: Announce time tables for making important

decision Explain decisions & behaviour that may

appear inconsistent Get at the roof of the rumour & confront it

with facts Identify rumour-mangers & discipline them Take the assistance of the labour union to

fight rumours.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

The internet, world wide web, electronic mail, voice mail & telecommuting constitute the information technologies.

• Advantage: Easy, quick & less expensive

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Demerits:

• Does not promote IPR & solve IP problems

• Breaks down the boundaries between work time & non-work time.

• Erodes delegation of authority by creating too much & too frequent communication between superiors and subordinates

• E-mail increases volume of meaningless data with consequence of unnecessary workload. Lacks confidentiality.

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Information technologies

• The internet, world wide web, electronic mail, voice mail & telecommuting constitute the information technologies.

• Advantage: Easy, quick & less expensive

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Demerits

• Does not promote IPR & solve IP problems• Breaks down the boundaries between work

time & non-work time.• Erodes delegation of authority by creating

too much & too frequent communication between superiors and subordinates

• E-mail increases volume of meaningless data with consequence of unnecessary workload. Lacks confidentiality.

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IPR & HUMAN RELATIONS

Human relations in management is concerned with the relationship between management & workers and the role of regulatory mechanism in resolving any dispute.

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Definition: “Human Relations is concerned with the

systems, rules & procedures used by unions & employers to determine the reward. For effort and other conditions of employment, to protect the interest of the employed and their employers and to regulate the ways in which employers treat their employees”.

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Areas of Human Relations Activities

• Collective bargaining

• Role of management, unions & government

• Machinery for resolution of industrial disputes

• Individual grievance & disciplinary policy & practice.

• Labour legislation

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• Industrial relations training

• Participative management

• Employees development

• Employee remuneration

• Employee safety & health

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A

D E B

C

B

C

C

D

E

AA B

C

D

E

D

E

C

B

A

A

D C

E B

Wheel Network

Chain Network

Y Network

Circle NetworkAll Channel Network

Fig. 18.4 Communication Networks 44

Fig. 18.3 Communication Flows in Organisations

Managing

Director

Lateral

Marketing

DirectorDirector

Operations

Upward

Downward

ExternalDiag

onal

Chairman

Director Research

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Thank You

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