communication essay nursing

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Communication in Nursing Practice

Lambrini kourkouta, ioanna v papathanasiou.

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Corresponding author: Ioanna V. Papathanasiou, RN, MSc, PhD, Clinical Professor. Nursing Department. Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, Greece. Phone: +302410684446. E-mail: [email protected] , [email protected]

Received 2013 Nov 11; Accepted 2014 Feb 15; Issue date 2014 Feb.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Good communication between nurses and patients is essential for the successful outcome of individualized nursing care of each patient. To achieve this, however, nurses must understand and help their patients, demonstrating courtesy, kindness and sincerity. Also they should devote time to the patient to communicate with the necessary confidentiality, and must not forget that this communication includes persons who surround the sick person, which is why the language of communication should be understood by all those involved in it. Good communication also is not only based on the physical abilities of nurses, but also on education and experience.

Keywords: Communication, Nursing, Nursing Care, Communicational Skills, Principles of Communication

1. INTRODUCTION

Nursing as a health care science, focuses on serving the needs of human as a biopsychosocial and spiritual being. Its practice requires not only scientific knowledge, but also interpersonal, intellectual and technical abilities and skills. This means a composition of knowledge, clinical work and interpersonal communication ( 1 ). Communication is a vital element in Nursing in all areas of activity and in all its interventions such as prevention, treatment, therapy, rehabilitation, education and health promotion ( 2 ). The nursing process moreover as a scientific method of exercise and implementation of Nursing, is achieved through dialogue, through interpersonal environment and with specific skills of verbal communication ( 3 ).

As communication we can define the exchange of information, thoughts and feelings among people using speech or other means. Therapeutic practice involves the oral communication of public health officials and nurses on the one hand and the patient or his relatives on the other. It is a two way process. The patient conveys their fears and concerns to their nurse and helps them make a correct nursing diagnosis. The nurse takes the information and in turn transmits other information to the patient with discretion and delicacy as to the nature of the disease and advises with treatment and a rehabilitation plan for health promotion ( 4 ).

Effective communication requires an understanding of the patient and the experiences they express. It requires skills and simultaneously the sincere intention of the nurse to understand what concerns the patient. To understand the patient only is not sufficient but the nurse must also convey the message that he/she is understandable and acceptable. It is a reflection of the knowledge of the participants, the way they think and feel and their capabilities ( 5 ).

In order for the nurses to be successful in their work they have to study communication and interpersonal relations in their education with special courses and internships. They need to learn the various aspects and applications of communication in various fields of nursing ( 6 ). In this context it is understood that emphasis must be placed on the importance of communication between nurse and patient and nursing education must focus on communication skills of nurses.

2. PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION

Communication can be defined as a transaction and message creation. The entire process occurs in a context consisting of physical space, cultural and social values and psychological conditions ( 7 ). Communication assists in the performance of accurate, consistent and easy nursing work, ensuring both the satisfaction of the patient and the protection of the health professional. When health professionals are not trained in communication skills, they face more difficulties separating work from their personal life, tending to transfer problems from one side to the other ( 8 ).

Communication is an intrinsic characteristic of human nature. Nobody cannot communicate. Communication has content and value. The contents regards to what was said, whilst the relationship regards as to how it was said. The nature of the relationship depends on how the two parties understand the communication sequence ( 9 ). Communication is never unidirectional. It is an interaction in which each sender becomes receiver and vice versa. The failure to recognize the two-way communication capability, quite often leads to negative conclusions and attitudes ( 10 ).

Moreover, the message sent is not the same as the message received. The decoding of the messages is based on individual factors and subjective perceptions. This fact, in conjunction with the process of feedback makes communication. We interpret something that we heard not according to what the sender actually said but according to our own code ( 11 ). Particular attention should be given by the caregivers to use technical terms and medical terminology during their contact with the ill, because it is often found that the patient ascribes different interpretations to what he hears or even more cannot understand what is meant exactly, mainly by the therapist, thus increasing mental stress, a fact which makes it more difficult to communicate with the patient ( 12 ).

Communication happens without words. It is an ongoing process. This non-verbal communication is expressed by facial expressions, gestures, posture and physical barriers such as distance from the interlocutor ( 13 ). It is important that there is an agreement between verbal and nonverbal communication. Particularly under stressful conditions where it is difficult to see the changes in the non-verbal messages of the patients with whom we mostly communicate ( 14 ). Moreover, each patient has his own specific characteristics that influence not only behavior in the process of communication, but also if and how to cooperate with nursing services and how they will undertake self-management of health ( 15 ).

Listening is important in communication. It is responsible nursing practice and requires concentration of attention and mobilization of all the senses for the perception of verbal and non-verbal messages emitted by each patient. By listening, nurses assess the situation and the problems of the patient; they enhance his/her self-esteem and integrate both the nursing diagnosis and the process of care at all levels ( 5 ).

Good personal relationships are described as the ability of the nurse to ask questions with kindness and provide information in a way that does not scare, that demonstrates interest, creates feelings of acceptance, trust and a harmonious relationship, especially in modern multicultural society ( 16 ). The therapeutic relationship is an important prerequisite to effective communication between health professionals and patients in order not only to transmit information, but also to effectively address mental processes which are activated by it. The communication between health professionals and patients include the ability to express sincere concern for the care of the patient and the patient becomes a partaker of this interest ( 9 ).

3. SPEAKING WITH THE PATIENT

Communication between health officials-in this case nurses-and patient is a process that begins with the first contact of the two and lasts as long as the therapeutic relationship. The nurse, who wants to create the right relationship with the patient, must win him/her from the first moment. This will happen if the conversation is held in appropriate conditions. Even though it seems obvious, it should be noted that courtesy and kindness on part of the nurse is required ( 4 , 17 ).

The patient should feel comfortable with the nurse, but the latter should protect his/her prestige and not give rise to misunderstandings. A key element is the need for a peaceful environment with no external distractions, which will ensure appropriate confidentiality of the dialogue. Frequently we see the phenomenon of serious discussions taking place in the middle of the corridor of the outpatient department or the nursing department, clinic, or in some office of the hospital, in which third parties unrelated to the care of the individual patient are coming in and out ( 18 ). In such an environment the patients are ashamed to express themselves freely ( 19 ).

Unfortunately, the concept of privacy is pretty much unknown to the Greek hospital system. Skilled nursing operations for the patients are made in chambers without screens or in hallways, in front of others. Patients and visitors of hospitals move without restriction in all the areas of the nursing and clinical departments. However, it is up to us to teach our colleagues and especially the new nurses and their patients setting the right example, in order for things to slowly change for the better ( 20 ).

Even more than the comfort of space, communication with the patient requires ample time. Each patient has his own way and pace to reveal his problem, but it takes some time to get to know the nurses and feel the confidence necessary to face them. The patient should have the feeling that the time-whether it is five minutes or an hour-is entirely his. The patient who has the undivided attention of the nurse reveals his problem sooner, with the satisfaction that the nurse has listened and observed him ( 21 ). After the nurse has listened to the ill, he/she should also talk to him. The language he uses for this purpose is very important. Often the patient is bombarded with big words with little or no significance for him ( 22 ). Once again the nurse may be directed to the ill in an incomprehensible way. Patients that are ashamed of their ignorance or are hesitant, avoid seeking an explanation, and as a result the consultation is inadequate and does not lead to the right outcome for the patient. The language of communication should therefore be at the level of the listener, who is not able to assess our scientific knowledge, but has to understand what we are telling him ( 23 ).

Another important requirement for proper and successful communication between nurses and patients is frankness and honesty. The discussion with the patient should leave no suspicions, doubts and misunderstandings. For example, if the patient suspects that while chatting with him we are making gestures to an escort, he/she will suspect that we are not telling him the whole truth ( 4 ). Where there is a need for a separate and private discussion with someone from the patient’s environment, we should be very careful of the place, manner and time of this communication, which should be independent of the discussion with the patient ( 24 , 25 ).

Communication as already stated is bidirectional, but the nurse or other health professional is responsibility for its proper conduct. The patient comes into the dialogue under stress and the emotional events he/she is facing. Moreover, depending on the psychosynthesis it can be more or less calm. Reactions such as anger, disbelief, moaning, aggression and denial of reality are known defence mechanisms, which are recruited to help him adjust to the new situation he is facing ( 8 , 26 ). The angry patient usually does not have any previous personal differences with health professionals, although they are the direct recipients of his anger. The latter should understand and accept these mechanisms which serve the underlying anxiety of the patient and to respond with information, awareness and readiness to provide all possible assistance ( 27 ).

Finally, people differ in their needs for communication. Some expect or require patient listening, without caring much about the answers. Others want a specific explanation for everything that happens to them. These different needs should be treated accordingly by the nurses, who should be able to detect what each patient wants ( 28 ). What of course in any case should be avoided by the caregivers is silence and indifference to the questions of the patient. In the best cases, the patient will leave disappointed and in the worst really indignant with nurses ( 9 ).

4.CONCLUSIONS

Communication with the patient is an individual part of the ‘long art’ of Hippocratic medicine ( 19 ). It is not only based on an innate ability that varies from person to person, but also on the necessary training and experience that one acquires during exercise ( 13 ). The need also for education in communication has been recognized worldwide ( 6 ). The results of this will be to demonstrate greater understanding among patients with greater benefit to patients and personal satisfaction to nurses in the performance of nursing ( 29 ).

Good communication also improves the quality of care provided to patients, which is observed in the results. Additionally, it is considered an inalienable right and a prerequisite for building a genuine and meaningful relationship between patients and nurses and other health professionals ( 30 ).

So in order for modern Nursing as a service to humans to realize the project, there is a need for dialogue and a good interpersonal climate that develops personally with each sick person, especially in our modern multicultural society. The best expertise training and continuing education of nurses in matters relating to the proper technique of communication will enable them to respond adequately and humanely to the expectations of patients.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: NONE DECLARED

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Importance of the Communication in Nursing Essay

Introduction, types of communication, communication models, barriers to productive communication, ways to improve communication.

In the nursing field, productive communication is an important aspect of successful activities and the key to effective patient care. In case the management of a particular medical institution promotes creating conditions for such interaction, performance increases due to the minimization of errors and the exchange of experience among colleagues. Based on the modern principles of professional communication, one can distinguish several basic strategies of building relationships in nursing teams.

In addition, there are special models that characterize the features of information transfer among the parties involved and determine the possibilities of interaction. At the stage of building such relationships, some barriers may arise, which are essential to overcome timely. Respecting colleagues’ personal dignity and following the principles of professional ethics can help maintain productive communication in the nursing environment, thereby increasing the potential success of activities.

While examining the types of nursing communication in the context of the importance of specific approaches, classic concepts may be cited. In particular, Sibiya (2018) notes that there are two key types of interaction – verbal and non-verbal, and each of them has its unique goals and purposes. Verbal communication is carried out through speaking directly and exchanging words among the parties involved. Sibiya (2018) argues that this style of interaction is an important aspect of the nursing field and healthcare sector in general. Also, in addition to interpersonal professional contacts, employees can communicate with other stakeholders, for instance, patients and their relatives. Therefore, this form of interaction is significant in the considered environment.

The non-verbal mechanism is based not on speech but on body language. As Sibiya (2018) remarks, looks, gestures, emotional movements of hands, and other elements of non-verbal communication are involved in nursing, and about 60% of all interaction is carried out in this format (p. 21). In some situations, for instance, emergency cases, this type of contact is more effective than speech due to the natural ability of a person to perceive visual information more quickly.

While taking into account the specifics of the work of junior medical employees, additional communication methods may be identified based on the profile of their activities. However, the two styles considered are the most common principles of transmitting relevant information.

The analysis of nursing communication at a deeper level can make it possible to single out specific models that form the principles of transmission and perception of information. Sibiya (2018) cites three key interaction concepts – linear, interactive, and transactional. All these strategies are subordinate to the basic principles of communication, in particular, conveying data from one party to the other one, but the features of this transfer are distinctive.

The linear model is a classic strategy when speakers direct their messages to listeners and intend to convey certain information in the most understandable form. This principle is basic and does not have any unique features and associated conditions. The interactive model is a more complex form of interaction and involves a communication mode in which recipients of information can interpret certain data individually.

An example of communication among senior and junior nurses may be given in order to convey the meaning of such relationships in the context of advice and recommendations. Finally, the transactional model is the most complex form of interaction because, for its implementation, additional factors should be taken into account, for instance, time, place, environment, and other criteria that can affect the communication process. All the three models may be utilized in nursing and help healthcare providers understand one another successfully.

Despite clear instructions that medical employees should follow during their work, the communication process can be complicated by barriers caused by concomitant circumstances and affecting relationships. Norouzinia, Aghabarari, Shiri, Karimi, and Samami (2016) consider these aspects that make it difficult to maintain effective interaction and note several key obstacles – language, cultural, and educational. In addition, in some cases, more global factors may arise, for instance, political ones, when legal conventions affect nurses’ work (Norouzinia et al., 2016). These obstacles may occur both in verbal and non-verbal communication forms, which complicates the work to eliminate them.

These obstacles can be interconnected and create increased discomfort for employees. For instance, language barriers are characteristic of a diverse cultural environment, and accusations based on personal bias may cause conflicts in the workplace. Also, Norouzinia et al. (2016) mention the religious context and note that in some countries, nurses cannot touch colleagues or patients of the opposite sex, which creates challenges for non-verbal communication. As a result, performance indicators are reduced due to the inability to maintain a productive work environment in which each employee can count on effective interaction and support. Therefore, searching for methods to improve communication in the nursing area is one of the priority tasks in case one or more of the aforementioned barriers are identified.

In order to minimize potential barriers to productive communication in nursing, it is essential for all employees to be aware of the importance of appropriate behavioral patterns. For this purpose, MacLean, Kelly, Geddes, and Della (2017) offer to use special training materials at the early stages of education so that future employees could have an idea of ​​the basics of ethical interaction. The manifestation of bias based on individual prejudices is unacceptable since any conflicts can lower patient outcomes, which is unacceptable. The dignity of each employee is to be respected in order to avoid interpersonal contradictions.

To enhance unique communication skills, for instance, non-verbal ones, the management of medical institutions should promote the exchange of experience among subordinates and encourage teamwork. In the context of intense activities that many nurses face, Sibiya (2018) recommends avoiding unclear messages in order to prevent misunderstandings and make the exchange of information more productive.

In addition, the ability to be convincing is a valuable quality that may allow earning authority among colleagues and become an example for them. To train this skill, it is necessary to follow all the aforementioned aspects of work and take into account ethical forms of interaction in a professional nursing environment. These measures can improve the quality of communication and, therefore, expand opportunities for successful collaboration.

Compliance with the principles of ethical interaction can help improve nursing communication in all its manifestations and increase patient outcomes, which is the ultimate goal of all interventions. Both verbal and non-verbal contacts are common in the medical environment in question, and appropriate models may be applied. In nursing practice, some communication barriers arise periodically due to various factors. In order to exclude them and minimize the likelihood of conflicts, rejecting bias should be a mandatory attribute of junior medical employees’ activities, and the exchange of experience may help maintain productive interaction.

MacLean, S., Kelly, M., Geddes, F., & Della, P. (2017). Use of simulated patients to develop communication skills in nursing education: An integrative review. Nurse Education Today , 48 , 90-98.

Norouzinia, R., Aghabarari, M., Shiri, M., Karimi, M., & Samami, E. (2016). Communication barriers perceived by nurses and patients. Global Journal of Health Science , 8 (6), 65-74.

Sibiya, M. N. (2018). Effective communication in nursing. In N. Ulutasdemir (Ed.), Nursing (pp. 19-36). London, UK: IntechOpen.

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Communication in Nursing: Why It Matters and How to Improve It

#i',$content, -1); --> table of contents the significance of communication in nursing definition of communication in nursing: setting the basis what is effective communication in nursing key principles effective communication in nursing: role in clinical practice various communication barriers in nursing what are the most effective communication strategies in nursing nursing communication in the tech-savvy era teaching communication skills in nursing education improvement of communication techniques nursing importance of communication in nursing profession: case studies closing remarks communication is a crucial element of nursing practice. it’s the cornerstone of effective care delivery, patient satisfaction, teamwork, and leadership in nursing. so, what makes it so special nursing involves more than administering medications and performing medical procedures; it also establishes meaningful connections with patients, their families, and healthcare team members. so, to offer care effectively, nurses need to possess great skills for sharing information. the significance of communication in nursing.

Nursing is about caring for individuals, and communication is vital in helping achieve that. It allows nurses to educate patients about their ailments and provide self-care instructions. It enhances collaboration among care providers, leading to better decisions while minimizing potential risks and misunderstandings between different care participants and recipients. Ultimately, it prevents mistakes and promotes patient safety.

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Nurses can improve their professional competence and deliver higher quality care by mastering practical intercommunication skills. The biggest mistake you can make during your studies is taking the great ability for communication in nursing for granted. Some people are naturally good empaths and communicators. But that’s not true. And today, we will talk not only about the importance of well-established intercommunication but also about effective ways to improve it.

Definition of Communication in Nursing: Setting the Basis

Let’s define communication in nursing first to set the basis for its further discussion. Communication in terms of nursing refers to the complex process of sharing information, thoughts, feelings, and ideas among caregivers, all healthcare team members, sick persons, and their families. It’s vital for dispensing safe, effectual, and person-centered care. The definition of communication in nursing encompasses both spoken and non-vocal forms of interaction. It also involves various skills, such as speaking, listening, observing, and documenting.

What Is Effective Communication in Nursing? Key Principles

If you’re still unsure how to answer the question, “What is effective communication in nursing?” here is the list of the key communication skills matching this criterion:

• Cultural awareness and competence.
• Compassion and trust.
• Ability to build personal connections.
• Effective verbal, non-verbal, and written communication.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Active listening.
• Ability to provide effective patient education.

All these communication skills are in this or that way directed at interacting with patients, patient families, and other members of the healthcare team productively. They serve the nurse’s desire to achieve the best patient outcomes and deliver positive patient experiences.

Effective Communication in Nursing: Role in Clinical Practice

You probably heard about the importance of proper intercommunication in boosting patients’ safety, quality of patient care , and overall satisfaction with nursing services. That’s true, as effective nursing communication improves patient outcomes by contributing to a safer and more satisfying healthcare experience.

• Better communication helps sick persons better understand their conditions and inform nurses about them to make better choices on treatment options and care measures provided.
• Well-established intercommunication channels ensure that crucial info is shared promptly, thus, faster diagnosis and intervention.
• Effective communication in nursing addresses patients’ emotional and psychological needs, reducing their anxiety and distress due to promoting trust between care recipients and caregivers.
• An open and transparent intercommunication helps mitigate legal and ethical risks, minimizing the chances of patient lawsuits.

Correct nursing diagnosis and timely interventions are essential. However, that makes no sense when there’s no connection between nurses and patients. That’s why developing excellent soft skills like well-established communication is no less important than learning anatomy, drugs, or any other profile subjects.

Various Communication Barriers in Nursing

While proper nursing communication is critical for delivering care, several barriers can hinder the flow of information. These barriers can compromise information sharing between care providers, sick individuals, and their families.

• Language hindrances and cultural backgrounds, such as variations in dialects, customs, and beliefs.
• Limited health literacy among patients.
• Noise and distractions.
• Emotional and psychological barriers: patients experiencing anxiety, fear, or distress may have difficulty processing information, making information exchange challenging.
• Information overload among nurses which can result in confusion and difficulty retaining important details.
• Privacy and confidentiality: nursing care recipients tend to hesitate to share sensitive information if they are concerned about privacy.

Addressing these communication barriers in nursing requires a combination of education, training, and commitment to person-centered care. Health organizations can also implement better strategies, such as improved intercommunication protocols, and incorporate technological enhancement to promote better information-sharing practices.

What Are the Most Effective Communication Strategies in Nursing

Nurses must possess excellent verbal, non-verbal, and written communication abilities when dealing with patients. The foundations of this are laid during training, and in the process of work, you only hone them, expanding your knowledge base with new cases. You may not have thought about it before, but nurses with good intercommunication skills typically follow these strategies:

• Verbal communication – refers to one’s ability to speak clearly and concisely when communicating a point.
• Active listening – involves paying attention, maintaining eye contact, showing empathy, and encouraging people to be open. The strategy also promotes effective communication in nursing leadership.
• Using plain language, which involves avoiding medical jargon and using simple terms to explain diagnoses and treatments.
• Proper use of non-verbal information exchange, such as using facial expressions and tone to align with a verbal message.
• Showing compassion, kindness, and genuine concern for a patient’s well-being.
• Familiarizing oneself with technological tools such as electronic health records to facilitate information exchange with other healthcare providers.
• Conflict resolution skills for de-escalating situations and addressing disagreements calmly or professionally.

The above communication strategies in nursing should be useful, but the most important is embracing learning. Information exchange practices evolve with time, and it’s up to nurses to stay updated on the best practices through education, training, and workshops.

Nursing Communication in the Tech-Savvy Era

Nursing communication has evolved significantly thanks to new documentation methods aided by technological advancement. Electronic health records, barcoding, and telemedicine are just some of the various tools nurses can use to deliver safe and efficient care.

Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

EHRs have revolutionized documentation and enhanced communication in nursing and healthcare fields. They have improved the accessibility of patient records and standardization of documentation to prevent inconsistencies caused by human error.

Barcoding scanning is used in medical administration to help guarantee safety. For example, nurses can scan patient wristbands to verify the five rights (right patient, right medication, right dose, right route, and right time), thus preventing medication errors.

Telehealth and Telemonitoring Technology

Nurses can monitor nursing care recipients remotely and provide continual support. Telehealth apps can also provide nurses quick access to drug databases and reference materials useful in facilitating healthcare.

Teaching Communication Skills in Nursing Education

New graduate nurses often lack the proper information-sharing skills to interact with challenging patients, families, and other healthcare professionals. It may lead to stress and burnout. That’s why improving information-sharing skills should be a priority among nursing educators and students. It can be achieved through various ways, including:

• Integrating intercommunication skills across the curriculum instead of as a standalone subject.
• Promoting active learning strategies such as group discussions.
• Introducing students to various information-sharing models and principles.
• Teaching active listening techniques like paraphrasing and summarizing.
• Providing guidance on how to deliver difficult news.
• Using standardized assessment tools to evaluate students’ abilities to communicate effectively.

Simulation and roleplaying exercises are also a great way of improving communication skills in nursing. The method is backed by research conducted in southwestern Pennsylvania at an academic trauma hospital during the pandemic. During the study, residency nurses collaborated in various simulated roleplaying scenarios and were later evaluated. Through role-playing scenarios, nurses involved in the study improved their confidence in message-sharing skills by up to 14%. Educators can help students develop strong information-sharing skills essential for patient-centered care by integrating the mentioned strategies into nursing education.

Improvement of Communication Techniques Nursing

As with any other skill, good intercommunication abilities can and must be developed. Once you master the basics, you should not stop in your development. Here are some ideas you can use to enhance communication techniques nursing:

• Undertake training programs to boost communication abilities and incorporate role-playing exercises to practice various scenarios.
• Make regular self-assessments for your intercommunication capabilities to identify areas to improve further.
• Seek constructive feedback from peers and other medical professionals to understand and address your weaknesses.
• Collaborate with more experienced mentors in the field to improve information-sharing competence.
• Take cultural competence training and learn to communicate with patients from diverse backgrounds.
• Review feedback from nursing care recipients with them and implement the necessary changes.

By improving their communication skills , nurse practitioner students become well-rounded professionals who provide higher-quality care. Furthermore, these skills can serve them outside medical care, such as everyday interactions with people.

Importance of Communication in Nursing Profession: Case Studies

Nursing students have to devote their time to developing capabilities to communicate properly to better understand patients and improve medical outcomes. For best results, they have to use a patient-centered care method. In the article “ A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: barriers, facilitators, and the way forward ,” Kwame, A., and Petrucka, P.M., describe patient-centered care as an approach that involves asking the sick individual about their current knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors connected to the ailment. Let’s check out some case studies depicting the effective exchange of information between carers and patients.

Case Study 1

A nurse is educating a patient who has diabetes about self-care and lifestyle changes. The nurse uses a person-centered approach, which involves asking the patient about their current knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors related to diabetes. She then provides relevant and accurate information, using visual aids and examples to promote understanding. She also assesses the patient’s readiness to change and helps them set realistic and specific goals. Finally, the nurse praises the patient’s efforts and achievements and provides ongoing support and feedback.

Case Study 2

A nurse attends to a patient with chronic pain who is reluctant to take medication. The nurse explains the benefits and risks of the medication and asks the patient about their concerns and preferences. The nurse validates the patient’s feelings and concerns and offers alternative approaches to cope with pain, such as relaxation techniques, distraction, or massage. They agree on a pain management plan that suits their needs and goals.

In both cases, the nurses do everything to make the patients comfortable by being empathetic and listening. They establish trust, reduce their patient’s anxiety, and provide all the necessary information about the treatment to help the patient’s choices. The outcome is a good patient experience that encourages them to follow future instructions.

Closing Remarks

Effectual nursing communication isn’t just a skill but a fundamental element of care provision that significantly influences care delivery, patients’ safety, and satisfaction. It encourages a culture of person-centered care, teamwork, and continuous upgrading in healthcare systems, ultimately resulting in better patient outcomes.

Emerson, Mary Sharp. “8 Ways You Can Improve Your Communication Skills.” Professional Development, Harvard Division of Continuing Education, August 30, 2021. https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/8-ways-you-can-improve-your-communication-skills/. Accessed: September 28, 2023.

Kwame, Abukari, and Pammla M. Petrucka. “A Literature-Based Study of Patient-Centered Care and Communication in Nurse-Patient Interactions: Barriers, Facilitators, and the Way Forward.” BMC Nursing 20, no. 158 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-021-00684-2

Leonard, Jacqueline, Kimberly Whiteman, Kimberly Stephens, Connie Henry, and Brenda Swanson-Biearmann. “Improving Communication and Collaboration Skills in Graduate Nurses: An Evidence-based Approach.” The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing 27, no. 2 (2022). https://www.doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol27No02Man03

Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Nursing — Nursing and Effective Communication

Nursing and Effective Communication

• Categories: Effective Communication Nursing

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Words: 514 |

Published: Jan 25, 2024

Words: 514 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Benefits of Effective Communication in Nursing

Works cited.

• Barton, G., Bruce, A., & Schreiber, R. (2018). Teaching nurses teamwork: Integrative review of competency-based team training in nursing education. Nurse education in practice, 32, 129-137.
• Kourkouta, L., & Papathanasiou, I. V. (2014). Communication in nursing practice. Material socio-medica, 26(1), 65.
• The Importance of Effective Communication in Nursing (2022). The University Of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Retrieved from, www.usa.edu/blog/communication-in-nursing/

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Exploring the role of communication in effective nurse leadership and patient care

Affiliation.

• 1 Nursing, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
• PMID: 38532620
• DOI: 10.7748/nm.2024.e2081

Nurses have to be aware of their personal responsibility to demonstrate effective leadership and thereby contribute to safe and effective patient care. One of the primary skills that nurses can use to become effective leaders is communication. This article explores how communication is a vital tool in enabling nurse leaders to motivate their team members and advocate for patients. The author details some of the essential communication skills that nurses require if they are to promote person-centred care and explores the often-neglected areas of non-verbal and written communication. By possessing a full range of communication skills, nurses can empower themselves to lead clinical teams and advocate for patients.

Keywords: communication; interpersonal skills; language; leadership development; leadership skills; non-verbal communication; professional; writing for publication.

© 2024 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

• Communication*
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• Nurse's Role
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