Why do you think senior staff didn’t see the communication problems that junior staff experienced? using (Langer & Feeney, 2015) Generate Free Research Paper

Healthcare providers play a crucial role in addressing the maternal health disparities that adversely affect African American women in the United States. Achieving health equity is essential to make childbirth safer and healthier for all women. Unfortunately, the current healthcare workforce lacks racial and ethnic diversity. In the United States, despite people of color, especially African American people account for a growing proportion of the populace, the healthcare workforce remains predominantly white. This lack of diversity has negative implications for patient care, including maternal health outcomes. Research indicates that patients from underrepresented racial or ethnic backgrounds often have better experiences and outcomes when they receive care from providers who share their racial or ethnic background. For example, African American women's childbirth experiences and maternal results are often improved when they receive care from providers with discriminatory training (Folbre, 2019).

The maternal health disparity facing African American women in the United States is striking. African American women are three to four times more likely to die from issues related to childbirth than white or Hispanic women, regardless of their socioeconomic status or educational status. This is unacceptable, and addressing this disparity should be a top national priority. Improving racial and ethnic diversity in the healthcare field is a significant step towards this objective. Patients are more likely to get culturally relevant and effective care when they are served by providers from underrepresented backgrounds. However, the numbers do not reflect the imperative need to address the lack of diversity among the healthcare workforce. In the United States, African Americans account for 13% of the total population but only 5% of physicians. Additionally, past research has indicated that underrepresented minority nursing and physician trainees are more likely to serve in underserved areas and provide care to underrepresented communities, including inpatient maternal care (Cuevas et al., 2019). A more diverse healthcare workforce could help address the underlying social determinants of health and systemic issues that contribute to maternal health disparities. Addressing the maternal health disparity facing African American women will require a messaging effort that includes the advantages of this earlier work concerning the educational pipeline to healthcare professions. Policymakers must invest in programs that incentivize and support underrepresented minority people in pursuing and completing healthcare education and training. Additionally, other factors such as racism and sexism are a significant barrier to achieving this health equity, and policymakers should also work to eliminate these unjust and dangerous systems.

 

References

Cuevas, A. G., O'Brien, K. E., Saha, S., & Solnick, S. (2019). African american experiences of everyday discrimination and self-rated health: a test of the mediating role of self-efficacy. Ethnicity & disease, 29(4), 625-632.

Folbre, N. (2019). A motherhood penalty. New Paradigm College Calgary Canada.

https://www.acuityatx.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/A_Motherhood_Penalty_by_Nancy_Folbre-1.pdf

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Why do you think senior staff didn’t see the communication problems that junior staff experienced? using (Langer & Feeney, 2015)

Bridging the Communication Gap: Understanding the Disconnect Between Staff

The internal workings of public health departments require coordination and collaboration among professionals of different levels of seniority. As staff at various levels interact, there is a need to communicate promptly and accurately. Poor communication can have negative implications for the department's overall performance, internal relations, and ability to achieve its objectives. In the scenario presented, it becomes evident that there is a considerable divide between how junior and senior staff perceive their communication, thereby impacting their quality of interaction. This paper analyzes the sources of possible miscommunication, its implications on staff performance and organizational culture, and potential communication strategies to address these concerns.

Sources of Miscommunication

An analysis of the scenario points to several potential sources of miscommunication within the health department. One major source is a disparity in expectations and understanding between the senior management and junior staff. For instance, when senior staff argue that their methods are effective and junior staff say otherwise, there is a clear misunderstanding of what constitutes effective communication. This dissonance can be influenced by senior management adopting a top-down approach to communication that emphasizes delegation, which can lead them to believe they have effectively conveyed their messages. In contrast, junior staff may anticipate more inclusive and frequent communication patterns, contributing to a perceived gap in communication effectiveness.

Another source of miscommunication is the lack of feedback mechanisms or active listening among senior staff. If senior staff primarily communicate through one-way channels (e.g., directives, emails), it diminishes opportunities for junior staff to provide feedback or express their needs and concerns. This unidirectional communication approach may also overlook the importance of informal communication channels or peer-to-peer interactions among junior staff as vital channels for information sharing and morale within the team. Additionally, the lack of channels to effectively communicate individual and team successes and recognize individual and team contributions may lead to feelings of underappreciation, further inhibiting effective communication.

Furthermore, the selective use of communication methods based on performance (e.g., the organization of meetings primarily for addressing failures) may lead to negative perceptions among junior staff, fostering a sense of disconnection and disengagement. Due to the absence of regular, inclusive, and motivational communication, junior staff might feel undervalued, which can affect their morale and motivation to collaborate with senior staff.

Implications for Professional Performance and Organizational Culture

The existing communication divide between senior and junior staff within the public health department can result in several significant implications. From a professional performance perspective, communication disparities can hinder clarity in delivering roles and responsibilities. Unclear task instructions, objectives, or expectations can lead to errors, delays, and inefficiencies in work processes. The lack of acknowledgment and feedback for positive contributions or achievements undermines employee morale, job satisfaction, and their motivation to perform at their best. Insufficient communication may also lead to inadequate sharing of important insights, emerging challenges, and innovative ideas, constraining the potential of the staff to collectively solve complex public health problems. Consequently, this situation can indirectly reduce the department's effectiveness in achieving its objectives and delivering quality public health services.

Organizational culture can be significantly impacted by communication challenges. A situation where junior staff feel unheard or devalued in the communication process can foster a culture of skepticism, disengagement, and low employee well-being. This, in turn, can result in reduced trust between different levels of staff, which is essential for collaboration and team-building. The pervasive perception of poor communication can also contribute to an erosion of the overall organizational reputation, making it challenging to attract potential employees and diminish existing staff loyalty.

 

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Recognizing the existing communication gap as a critical issue, it is vital for senior and junior staff to collectively address the problem. The public health department can adopt several strategies to bridge this divide and promote a culture of transparent, inclusive, and effe

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