Learning to talk the talk

Theresa Brown, a registered nurse and regular contributor to the New York Times wrote an article this week about nurses learning how to talk quickly in emergent patient settings. The style of speech values speed, with elements of persuasion, especially when trying to get a patient a needed bed in the ICU.

But the article does not explore the potential pitfalls of such rapid fire conversation. The possibility of mistakes was acknowledged, but more than mistakes, the rapid conversation can have long term implications for the health of communication between colleagues. Short, clipped conversation does not allow for collaboration or learning and working together to support and care for patients. Certainly there are time when this style may be very necessary, and it does fall on health care workers to learn how to communicate that way. But there is a time for longer, thought out conversations as well, even on a busy hospital floor. We are all better off if health care providers are able to develop multiple communication tools and styles and not just depend on one quick style to get all things done.