In addition to the interprofessional communication lecture and breaking out in small groups to discuss the case of the missing lap sponge, I really enjoyed the Domino game! That game was my one of my favorite parts of the day. It did an excellent job of highlighting the errors in communication within healthcare. For the first round I played the role of the doctor and I became a little frazzled not knowing how to properly tell the nurse how to place the dominos. I tried to use a systemic approach by first listing the type of domino and then the numbers and colors on it. I also expressed the vertical or horizontal position of the domino. I thought I was explaining my thoughts clearly but when I saw the pattern laid out, I knew I was definitely not. My group members told me I forgot to describe directions such as right, left, up, and down. It was frustrating not receiving any feedback from the nurse and I imagine it was even harder for that person. I thought the first round of the Domino game was the most important because it showed that when a physician just tells a nurse what to do without establishing a line of open communication, the patient outcome can be disastrous. Physicians and nurses need to have open, honest, and transparent communication in order to best help their patients. Both need to ask questions of each other and actually have a conversation as opposed to a doctor expressing demands without allowing for feedback or questions from the nurse. Healing patients requires a team effort; I will carry this lesson on my journey to becoming a physician.
