Within nursing many skills and attributes contribute to a knowledgeable and well rounded healthcare professional, a key concept is of the individual as a lifelong learner which is defined as the process of continuous learning which spans a nurse’s professional life time (Jarvis, 2004). Previously once nurses had been registered they would be fit to practice and no longer be required to further advance their skills, now however the NMC requires mandatory updates to nurses knowledge and training in order to make sure the best and up to date care is provided (Oxford Handbooks in Nursing 2012). Two key skills this essay will explore are communication and working collaboratively. Communication includes at least two people engaged in a meaningful exchange to express facts, opinions and information, using both verbal and non- verbal methods, which can be written or face to face (www.gov.uk, 2010).Working collaboratively requires, equal treatment of all colleagues and the ability to exchange relevant skills and experience with other professionals when appropriate for the treatment of the patient (Barton and Le May, 2012). The essay will subsequently explore these two skills and attributes in more depth and look at how they are used in lifelong learning as a nurse.
An attribute is something which is genetically inherited or innate (www.collinsdictionary.com, online), communication is considered an attribute because it’s present at birth and cannot be acquired only improved (Oliphant, 1999). There are two main types of communication, verbal and non verbal. In verbal communication, words are used to convey messages and feelings using different tones, rate and volumes (Kraszewski and McEwen, 2010). In verbal communication questions can be us...
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...’t communicate well as important issues can be missed, for example a patient may be dangerous to staff when they are in their own home therefore can only be seen at the GP’s surgery (Edwards, 2010). Working collaboratively assists with lifelong learning as the nurse becomes familiar with other professionals, especially those with other skills, expertise and knowledge, which can enhance the nurse’s experience.
Overall the essay has explored two key skills and attributes required to be a successful nurse, these are communication and working collaboratively, it has also outlined practical examples of these and how they are important in day to day nursing.
In conclusion, from the evidence and the standards set by the NMC, these skills and attributes are a crucial part of continuing life-long learning and nurses should strive to continually develop and improve these.
As a nurse we are responsible for the safety and overall health promotion of our patients. Competency in the nursing field is what ensures patient safety and decreased hospital acquired injury. Continued competence ensures that the nurse is able to perform efficiently and safely in a constantly changing environment. Nurses must continuously evaluate their level of skill and find where improvement needs to be made in order to keep up to date with the expected skill level set by their
This approach is referred to as the Interprofessional Collaboration Practice (IPC). To become an effective leader and follower, each profession will need to work together for the same goal and purpose, which is the care of the patient. By negotiating, consulting, interacting, and discussing with other team members, we reach a common understanding of the decisions being made (2011). When there is a lack of communication, information can become misunderstood and mistakes and confrontations can arise. Dufrene (2012), has stated how graduate nursing students lack the confidence to communicate with other professionals, this in part with limited opportunities during their clinical experiences.
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.
The introduction paragraph gives information on communication and the impact that it has on patient-nurse relationships. It gives the reader an understanding of what is involved in true communication and how that it is a fundamental part of nursing and skills all nurses need. It leads those interested in delivering quality nursing to read on. Showing us the significance that communication makes in the
“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 Nursing and Midwifery code of conduct states that in order for nurses to practice effectively they must be able to work and communicate effectively with colleagues. Multidisciplinary working helps to ensure both patients and staff are kept informed about the care of the patient and that any risks can be identified and reduced. Multidisciplinary teamwork in healthcare has a key role in creating a culture which is safe and effective in deciding upon the best practice related to patient specific care. It has become apparent in some organisations, the importance of multidisciplinary working with one example being the Francis report of the shortcomings in care at Mid Staffordshire Hospital where patients suffered appallingly due to the lack of person centred care with one such concern being professional disengagement where clinicians where not raising concerns to colleagues. Baylis, D 2014. This need for networking and shared knowledge is a focus point in the Person Centred Framework (McCormack and McCance 2010) where it is showcased that a prerequisite of nurses is to have developed interpersonal skills in order to encompass a positive care environment where effective staff relationships are formed. This then has an impact on the ability to share decisions and ultimately impacts person centred outcomes of creating a culture which is central to the
The processes and skills listed below are all relevant to nurses working in the contemporary hospital environment today. Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and interact with people. “To effectively communicate we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding to guide our communication with others.” (Anthony Robbin). It is important for the nurse to be aware of the effects their personal values and beliefs can have on their patients.
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.
Education for registered nurses provides significant benefits to the nursing career and therefore, it is imperative. As a registered nurse, education has influenced my practice at the hospital considerably. One of the major areas influenced by education is caring for patients. As a nurse, caring for patients is one of their primary responsibilities. Education for nurses emphasizes the need to show care and empathize with the patient besides providing competencies and knowledge for the nurse clinician (American Associations of Colleges of Nursing, 2014). While care is something intrinsic, educators strategize on learning situations and teaching designs
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
Nursing has encountered many obstacles over time that caused it to transform into the dynamic profession it is today. The challenging work a nurse shoulders requires an in depth education on matters pertaining to biology as well as learning social skills, which prove to play a crucial role throughout their career. Nurses must have an adept capacity for empathy and compassion and must be able to establish personable relationships with patients on a daily basis. Public perception of nursing is often ignorant of the many duties and roles
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.
Reflective Practice is a continuous action that directly affects anyone who is a practitioner. Jasper (2006, p. 53) stated that the benefits to the profession are the development of the nursing knowledge base and the recognition that nurses are contributing to both patient care and improved practice. Further, Jasper (2006, p. 43) explains that Reflective Practice is the foundation upon which reflection and reflective learning are based.
The nursing profession is always aim to accomplish the demands of the evolving health care system by improved quality care which is based on critical thinking, research and evidence-based practice. In order to achieve the improved quality care to the patients, the nurses should engage themselves in lifelong learning which will prepare them for the advancement of knowledge and competency to encounter the transformed health care field (Wetters, 2011). The continuous lifelong learning is always target the needs for the up-to-date with the latest trends, practices and technologies in the health care profession. This is the reason IOM committee emphasized nurses to involve themselves in lifelong learning so that nurses can practice with their full
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.