My Clinical Experience: Effective Communication As A Nurse

In this outcome I was able to communicate therapeutically with the client and family, by demonstrating effective interpersonal skills and caring behaviors. Having effective communication as a nurse is something that was constantly brought up throughout nursing school. Communication is an important tool for a nurse’s career and can also improve the quality of patient care. Communication skills are important drivers of patient-centered care and patient autonomy and are essential to optimizing patient-centered outcomes (Carr, 2017). Communication can be demonstrated and evaluated through time spent with patients and their families. Various nursing assignments and clinical experiences helped me develop my communication skills.

I believe listening is also a good quality to have when communicating with patients, families, and the interdisciplinary team. Developing good communication skills help build trust and rapport with patients. Taking the time to understand patients concerns allows the nurse to advocate and address the patients and family’s

During mental health clinical at Prairie View, I participated in several group therapies with patients. Often as the student we sit and observe, one particular day my morning did not start off great. In attending the group that morning, I saw that what caused me to be upset was small compared to the patients. I told myself in that moment to envision the world through the eyes of each and every patient. This allowed me to understand their needs at that time and reflect and use therapeutic communication. I could see that in the moment of therapeutically communicating with this patient it would contribute to the patient