Purpose: Communication problems are a major contributing factor to adverse events in hospitals. The contextual environment in small rural hospitals increases the importance of emergency department (ED) patient transfer communication quality. This study addresses the communication problems through the development and testing of ED quality…

Introduction: Despite the knowledge of good communication as a precondition for optimal care and treatment in health care, serious communication problems are still experienced by patients as well as by health care professionals. An orthopedic surgery department initiated a 3-day communication skills training course for all staff members expecting…

Concern over basic communication skills in the workplace has led to the development of corporate training programs to teach effective listening, and to improve the style and content of written communications. (SK)

Provides practical information for those interested in implementing a communication apprehension program: (1) description of 24 communication programs; (2) glossary of various methods used to treat communication apprehension; and (3) classified bibliography arranged by treatment method. (PD)

Considers the role functions and general competencies of communication trainers. Focuses on the way trainers execute two principal tasks: 1) selecting topics, teaching, and evaluating communication seminars; and 2) diagnosing and managing communication problems which occur within the organization. (JMF)

Introduces and comments on articles in this symposium issue. Contends that speech teachers have methods to overcome communication problems. Challenges them to sort their methods out, test and phrase them in clear language, document assertions from their own classroom investigations, and eventually build a theory to help people improve their…

Following training in a communication repair strategy (showing), 10 children (ages 4 to 9) with hearing loss showed a greater (but not statistically significant) tendency to use this repair behavior than similar untrained subjects. The children used more explicit repair behaviors when asked questions that requested more information. (DB)

Findings demonstrated that the reason students enrolled in a Speech Confidence Laboratory was to improve their speaking skills and to reduce their fear of speaking. Although findings indicated that the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) was not the decisive factor influencing students' enrollment, the PRCA is an adequate…

Discusses the use of role-play for the development of interpersonal skills and evaluates a computer-based learning environment for initial training in dealing with social-communicative problems. Discusses high cognitive load, explains the use of a conversational model, describes the results of two experiments with university students, and suggests…

Reports the simulation of sensory and mobility problems of older adults as an effective training model when combined with a number of roles and scenarios. Discusses the application of the training model in work with geriatric health professionals. (Author)

Discusses communication problems in industries with a multilingual and multicultural work force, with suggested approaches for an industrial language trainer to follow when investigating communication channels and in organizing language training programs to remedy inadequacies. (MF)

Describes problems resulting from the use of immigrant industrial workers with poor language understanding and the method used to assess functional oral English for occupational purposes. While the form of assessment provides authentic data for company training and communication needs, further research is needed to resolve some problems. (MF)