Communication factors (Nursing Facility)
Description
Determination of which contributing factor(s) related to communication are known.
Communication factors may be related to any spoken or written communication between anyone in a facility, including, but not limited to, providers, staff, patients, and patient families. Ineffective communication is communication that was inaccurate, incomplete, ambiguous, misunderstood by the recipient, or not timely.
On-Screen Instructions
Field Type
Responses
Healthcare Team Member Factors
Across units
Ineffective communication between representatives of different units or departments in a facility contributed to the event.
Includes
One or more units within a facility
Misinterpreted communication
Incomplete, not timely, or inaccurate communication
Excludes
Communication among healthcare professionals working within a designated team or service (select “Among interdisciplinary teams")
Communication related to handoffs, handovers or shift reports (select “Handoffs, handovers or shift reports”)
Communication between units at different facilities in the same healthcare system (select “With other organizations or outside providers”)
Among interdisciplinary teams
Ineffective communication among any group of healthcare professionals from diverse fields who work to coordinate the care of a patient/resident in a facility contributed to the event.
Includes
Healthcare professionals in different disciplines working within a designated team or service
Excludes
Communication related to handoffs, handovers or shift reports (select “Handoffs, handovers or shift reports”)
Communication between unit staff and supervisor or manager (select “Between supervisor and staff”)
Between supervisor and staff
Ineffective communication between supervisor and staff in a facility contributed to the event.
Includes
Misinterpreted communication
Incomplete, not timely, inaccurate communication
Excludes
Communication related to handoffs, handovers or shift reports (select “Handoffs, handovers or shift reports”)
Communication among healthcare professionals working within a designated team or service (select “Among interdisciplinary teams”)
Handoffs, handovers or shift reports
Ineffective communication related to handoffs, handovers or shift reports in a facility or between facilities contributed to the event.
Includes
All healthcare professionals
Misinterpreted communication
Incomplete, not timely, or inaccurate communication
Transfers of patient/residents from one facility to another (also select “With other organizations or outside providers”)
Excludes
Communication between unit staff and supervisor or manager (select “Between supervisor and staff”)
Communication among healthcare professionals working within a designated team or service (select “Among interdisciplinary teams”)
Hard to read fax or handwriting
Hard to read handwriting or a hard to read fax contributed to the event.
Includes
Illegible printing or handwriting
Printing too light to read clearly
A healthcare professional’s temporary notes to self
Excludes
Within units
Ineffective communication within a unit in a facility contributed to the event.
Includes
Excludes
Across staff on multiple units (select “Across units”)
Communication related to handoffs, handovers or shift reports (select “Handoffs, handovers or shift reports”)
Communication between unit staff and supervisor or manager (select “Between supervisor and staff”)
Communication among healthcare professionals working within a designated team or service (select “Among interdisciplinary teams”)
With other organizations or outside providers
Ineffective communication with other organizations or outside providers contributed to the event.
Includes
Different facility or location within the same healthcare system
Excludes
Other healthcare team member factors (please describe)
Any other factor related to communication among facility personnel, not included in the list above, which contributed to the event.
Includes
Inadequate available information that is not covered by one of the existing factors
Excludes
Patient/Resident and Family Factors
Culture
Ineffective communication related to cultural differences between facility personnel and the patient/resident or patient/resident’s family contributed to the event.
Includes
Failure to recognize cultural prohibitions and preferences
Excludes
Language barriers (select “Language”)
Language
A component of language that impacted the communication between patient/residents and facility personnel contributed to the event.
Includes
Spoken language
American Sign Language (ASL)
Pronunciation or accent
Lack of or inappropriate translation services
Excludes
Miscommunication
Miscommunication between facility personnel and the patient/resident or patient/resident’s family contributed to the event.
Includes
Incorrect information regarding condition, medications, etc., provided to or by patient/resident or patient/resident’s family
Excludes
Patient/resident did not use call light
Patient/resident does not use call light to communicate needs with staff.
Includes
Any reason a patient/resident does not use a call light (e.g., patient/resident cannot remember to use call light, patient/resident desire for privacy or independence, patient/resident does not want to bother staff)
Excludes
Call light not available (select “Device , equipment, or supply availability”)
Call light not working (select “Device, equipment, or supply Function (e.g., defective, non-working)”)
Call light alarms turned off (select “Device, equipment, or supply Use or selection by healthcare provider or staff”)
Patient/resident not provided instruction for using call light (select “Miscommunication”)
Patient/resident unable to communicate
Patient/resident’s physical inability to communicate contributed to the event.
Includes
Patient/resident nonverbal
Patient/resident unable to communicate due to clinical condition
Excludes
Patient/resident provides incorrect information or fails to disclose information to care team (select “Miscommunication”)
Patient/resident is difficult to understand (select “Miscommunication”)
Patient/resident has language barrier (select “Language”)
Other patient/resident and family factors (please describe)
Any other factor related to communication between facility staff or providers and the patient/resident or patient/resident's family not included in the list above, which contributed to the event.
Guide for Use
History
Start Date | 2006 |
---|---|
End Date | n/a |
Change History | Spring 2012: PSRP Implementation January 2016: added “patient/resident did not use call light” and “patient/resident unable to communicate” |
Field Name | cf_comm_f |
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