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Importance of effective communication skills 200 words
Importance of effective communication skills 200 words
Important of communication skills essay
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“Communication is the heart of nursing… your ability to use your growing knowledge and yourself as an instrument of care and caring and compassion” (Koerner, 2010, as cited in Balzer-Riley, 2012, p. 2). The knowledge base which Koerner is referring to includes important concepts such as communication, assertiveness, responsibility and caring (Balzer-Riley, 2012). Furthermore, communication is complex. It includes communication with patients, patient families, doctors, co-workers, nurse managers and many others. Due to those concepts and the variety of people involved, barriers and issues are present. Knowing how to communicate efficiently can be difficult. The intent of this paper is to analyze interviews with a staff nurse and a nurse manager. The interview questions revolve around what the nurses perceive as the main communication issues at work. More specifically, the communication issues with patient communication, communication with colleagues and communication with leadership/administration. This paper will also list three actions that would improve communication in response to the issues raised during the interviews. Staff Nurse Interview In an interview with a staff nurse (S.N), the main problem within patient communication included lack of patient’s (and family) involvement/willingness in planning cares. The staff nurse emphasized how “Patients often feel overwhelmed and do not want to participate. But, it is important for patients to be involved in their care for better outcomes” (S.N., personal communication, February 5, 2014). The staff nurse’s statement is supported by Evans (2013) whom remarked “better-informed patients avoid unnecessary care and frustration”. Issues with communication between colle... ... middle of paper ... ...vans, M. (2013). Doctors argue for decision aids to promote patient engagement. Modern Healthcare, 43(48), 26-30 Jeppesen, K., Coyle, J., & Miser, W. (2009). Screening questions to predict limited health literacy: a cross-sectional study of patients with diabetes mellitus. Annals of Family Medicine, 7(1), 24-31. doi:10.1370/afm.919 Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2012). Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and Application. (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. O’Daniel, M., & A.H., R. (2008). Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2637/ Tulsky, J. A. (2005). Interventions to Enhance Communication among Patients, Providers, and Families. JOURNAL OF PALLIATIVE MEDICINE (8), 1. S95 - S102.
Not only is professional communication important in the portrayal of a good nursing image and behaviour, it also plays a vital role in patient care and health outcomes. The ANMC standards serve as a good guidance on the need to establish therapeutic relationship through effective communication. As nurses spend relatively more time with patients, they play a significant role in bridging a patient and doctor. Hence, it is would help for nurses to constantly hone their communication skills through experience over time.
Evidence shows that nurse to patient ratios impacts patient safety. The analysis titled "Nurse-to-Patient Ratios Must Increase to Improve Safety" was chosen for review as possible research material for my chosen health care topic of nurse to patient ratios (Duffin, 2012). The analysis is a concise glimpse of the problems that occur with high patient loads and those that suffer because of it. However, the analysis is just that, a glimpse. It is too short to provide any substantial new evidence or add to any existing research on this topic. This essay will evaluate the targeted audience or discourse community as well as the author's relevance or kairos in the writing of this brief analysis.
Nurses today need to have excellent communication skills. Receiving information from patients is the most important aspect of nursing. If nurses are unable to communicate with their patient then they would not be able to have a relationship with them. Communication is where two or more people interact with each other, by using sounds and words, this is verbal communication. Some individuals have different behaviors where they try to express themselves to others without using spoken words, this is non verbal communication. Once nurses have the proper communication tools, techniques and evidence based practice, when communicating with their patient, they would get the necessary information needed from the patient to properly diagnosis them.
The following references give an overview of the way nurses communicate to give the best possible diagnosis and how the communication can often be problematic. The citations included are articles describing the lacking of communication in the nursing field and how to fix the communication barrier in this field. People communicate day in and day out never realizing there are tons of ways to communicate. Webster’s Dictionary defines communication as “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else.” Working people have special ways to communicate
Through contemporary communication, we are educated to deliver exceptional care to our patient in different. As nurse practitioners, we learned how to effectively
Mitchell, P. H. (2008). Defining patient safety and quality care an evidence-based handbook for nurses. Rockville,Maryland: Hughes. DOI: //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2681/
In nursing practice, communication is essential, and good communication skills are paramount in the development of a therapeutic nurse/patient relationship. This aim of this essay is to discuss the importance of communication in nursing, demonstrating how effective communication facilitates a therapeutic nurse/patient relationship. This will be achieved by providing a definition of communication, making reference to models of communication and explaining how different types of communication skills can be used in practise.
Communication in the nursing practice and in healthcare is important because when talking with patients, their families, and staff, the nurse and the nursing student needs to be able to efficiently express the information that they want the other person to understand. “Verbal communication is a primary way of transmitting vital information concerning patient issues in hospital settings” (Raica, 2009, para. 1). When proper communication skills are lacking in nursing practice, the chances of errors and risks to the patient’s safety increases. One crucial aspect of communication that affects the patient care outcome is how the nurse and the nursing student interacts and communicates with the physicians and other staff members. If the nurse is not clear and concise when relaying patient information to other members of the healthcare team the patient care may be below the expected quality.
The purpose of the study was to explore and produce statements related to patient’s experiences of how nurses communicate. To show that nurses are poor communicators, but only a small amount of research has been done in this area.
Interpersonal communication within the field of nursing is imperative in all areas to deliver a holistic positive outcome in patient care. Specifically, active listening, questioning with intent and reflective feedback ascertain an understanding of a patient’s health, illness, and healthcare. Active listening allows the patient to convey their concerns and presents the nurse with an understanding of the patient when implementing a personalised care plan. Questioning with intent builds an appreciation of the situation, and reflective feedback promotes improvements to enrich work ethics of the nursing cohort. Listening actively involves many different styles whereby information is gathered through verbal and non-verbal communication. Questioning
The registered nurse meets the standards of professional practice by communicating effectively in all areas of their practice. The nurse meets the guidelines mentioned in the former by not only assessing their own communication skills, but also by maintaining communication with the entire interdisciplinary team. Additionally, the registered nurse displays communication styles which embody care, respect, listening, authenticity, and trust to all patients. Overall, the registered nurse strives to not only meet all communication competencies, but also ensures to endeavor towards continuous improvement of their overall communication skills (American Nurses
Timmins, F. (2011, June). Managers’ duty to maintain good workplace communications skills. Nursing Management, 18(3), 30-34. Retrieved from
Communication is top priority when it comes to nursing. Open communication should start on the first encounter with the patient. Communication barriers can hinder adequate care. Communication between the patient and the nurse is confidential and to ensure valuable communication is to ensure confidentalality. When communication is place as top priority it allows an easier transition for the patient and ensures effective safe care.
Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2012). Leadersip Roles and Management functions in Nursing (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
The term ‘Therapeutic communication’ identifies the way in which a nurse and patient interact, with the main focus being on advancing the emotional well-being of a patient; (Sherko E., et al, 2013) nurses will use this to deliver support and information to Edna. Effective communication skills are essential within nursing and are often seen as one of the main skills necessary for nurses to support patients and their families (Bramhall E, 2014). There are many forms of therapeutic communication that can be used in