Communication Barriers Encountered by Anesthesiologists in a Multilingual Environment: The Nigerian Case Study

Abstract

Effective communication is essential for patient safety and successful outcomes of surgical procedures. Informed by the need for quality improvement in patient-anesthesiologist interrelations in a multilingual environment, this study dissects the barriers to effective communication, which confront anesthesiologists in the multilingual environment, as in Nigeria. The study proposes language-based techniques as the panacea for linguistic diversity, solecism, complex medical diction, and cultural and other barriers. The proposal is rooted in the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. It concludes that where barriers to effective communication are duly addressed, improved patient-anesthesiologist communication, ethical professionalism, efficient performance and timely quality service delivery would obtain.