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Reducing Communication Errors in the Correctional Setting

The fragmented care situations often found in correctional practice make this specialty particularly vulnerable to communication errors resulting in patient harm. Several communication risk points are found in the care continuum in correctional settings. Communication processes across the organization and among team members have been implicated in clinical error. In addition, information exchange with outside services such as lab work, diagnostic tests or special treatments are vulnerable, as are specialty care visits. Correctional health staff have additional communication challenges in this unique setting including dealing with correctional officers and the special needs of prisoners. In this course, you will learn how to improve communication pathways to reduce the potential for clinical error in the correctional setting.

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Objectives

Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:

Describe the unique communication difficulties in a correctional health care setting.
Outline ways to improve verbal and written communication methods.
Use improved communication with correctional officers.
State how to avoid ineffective communication methods with correctional patients.

Curriculum

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Why Communication is so Important in Corrections

Communication Failures Cause Clinical Errors
Communication Difficulties in Correctional Practice
Hand Offs Across Organizations

Chapter 3: Health Care Team Communication

Verbal Communication
Standardized Verbal Communication
Written Communication
Standard Abbreviations
Using Checklists
A Word About Verbal Orders
Communication Culture

Chapter 4: Communicating with Officers

The Importance of Respect
Handling Microaggression
When Asked to Do Something that is Out-of-Bounds
HIPAA and Officer Need-to-Know
The T.E.A.M Approach
Relationship Building Recommendations

Chapter 5: Communicating with Patients

False Reassurance
Incongruence
Arguing
Passive or Aggressive Responses
Personal Opinion
Approval or Disapproval
Automatic Responses
Asking for Explanations
Defensive Responses
Invalidation
Summary
References

Price: $12.00

Contact Hour: 1

Course Author

Lorry Schoenly

Lorry Schoenly, PhD, RN, CCHP-RN is a nurse author and educator specializing in the field of correctional health care. She provides consulting services to jails and prisons across the country on projects to improve professional nursing practice and patient safety.

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Course Accreditation

See our Accreditation Statements page to view our accreditation information.