Files and links (1)
Published VersionCC BY-NC-SA V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Health-professional communication skills and competencies in Australia: an interprofessional content analysis
Health Education in Practice, Vol.8(1), pp.1-21
2025
Abstract
Purpose: Effective communication is central to safe and effective interprofessional collaboration and person-centred care within healthcare systems. A significant proportion of patient complaints and adverse outcomes in Australia are related to communication issues. The aim of this study was to compare and contrast the descriptions of communication skills across nine health-professional competency standards using content analysis. Methodology: Researchers from nine distinct health professions used an interprofessional methodology to extract and organise terms related to healthcare communication from professional competency standards documents. Findings: Eight domains, with 31 subdomains, were identified and compared by health profession and by overall subdomain frequency. There was a lack of standardised structure for professional practice standards and frequent embedding of communication skills within other core competencies. Also common was imprecise language regarding healthcare communication requirements, and definitions of terms were often lacking. Practical implications: Consistent representation of some domains and subdomains across health professions could be a precursor to the development of common communication competencies. These could serve as a benchmark for program accreditations, professional bodies, and interprofessional or healthcare communication education. Value: This research adds value due to the interprofessional research method, which modelled interprofessional collaborative practice and allowed interpretation of professional competency standards through a multiprofessional lens. Limitations: Nine professional competency standards were included, representing the nine professions of the researchers; therefore, some professional competency standards were not included in the analysis.
Details
- Title
- Health-professional communication skills and competencies in Australia: an interprofessional content analysis
- Authors
- Shannon Saad - Sydney Local Health DistrictFiona Bogossian - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of HealthStevie Hepburn - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary AccessMichèle Verdonck - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Occupational TherapyKelly Lambert - University of WollongongDebra Kerr - Deakin UniversityKatie Healy - Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health ServiceJudy Mullan - The University of SydneyKerry Peek - University of WollongongNatalie Dodd (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health - Paramedicine
- Publication details
- Health Education in Practice, Vol.8(1), pp.1-21
- Publisher
- University of Sydney eScholarship Journals
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.33966/hepj.8.1.20466
- ISSN
- 2209-3974
- Copyright note
- Copyright is held by the authors with the first publication rights granted to the journal. Conditions of sharing are defined by the Creative Commons License Attribution-ShareAlike-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
- Grant note
- This work was supported by Griffith University, School of Medicine, under a 2021 internal grant scheme (no grant number), designed to accelerate research after delays secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Biomedicine; School of Health; School of Education and Tertiary Access; School of Health - Occupational Therapy; School of Health - Paramedicine
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991165845902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
259 File views/ downloads
147 Record Views