I chose to watch the classic example of a healthcare television show, Grey’s Anatomy. Of course everyone knows that many things in this show are exaggerated, however, there are some positive communication aspects of the show that are worth noting. Although the show is mainly focused on surgeons, they all do a great job at SBAR handoff reports! They are usually done at the patient’s bedside and they make sure to include the patient during them. They verify the patient understands their condition while also using proper medical terms. Another thing done well creating trust worthy relations with patients and delegating tasks between clinical staff members. During emergency situations in the show, there is usually a clear leader that delegates tasks to staff members to increase efficiency and help with patient safety.
One negative aspect of the staff members’ communication skills on the show is letting emotions and relationships at home and in the hospital interfere with patient care. There are also many boundary issues in this show as some of the clinical care team members have relations with each other and with patients. There is multiple times in the show where a surgeon crosses boundaries by becoming too involved with a patient and even has relations with them after they are their patient. There is consequences for these staff members and it is a good example of what not to do.