E-mail is a great tool for communication. When should e-mail not be used? (Select all that apply.)

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Electronic communication has assisted us to be better informed regarding our patients. However, within the professional health care realm, there is a tendency to rely on these modes of communication when other methods would be preferable and more appropriate. For instance, there are definite times when a face-to-face conversation is preferred to an e-mail. Warrell (2012) noted that there are four times you should never use e-mail: (1) when you are mad, (2) when rebuking or criticizing, (3) if there is any chance your words could be misunderstood, or (4) when you are canceling or apologizing. In our busy professional lives, it is easier to send off a quick e-mail than to pick up the phone or walk down the hall; however, e-mail distances us from others and is really only the preferred means of communication when information is simply being conveyed.

E-Mail Is a Great Tool for Communication