As frontline workers in healthcare, nurses rely on communication for all aspects of their jobs. Strong verbal and written communication skills are central to improving health outcomes, fostering relationships with co-workers, patients and families, and navigating complex situations. Show
Advancing in the field of nursing involves developing leadership skills and cross-cultural competencies needed to work with diverse populations of patients, families and colleagues. Nurses learn about their patients' needs, concerns and health issues through communication, which involves active listening. Making this effort to communicate with patients impacts the accuracy of diagnoses and the quality of care. Communication between healthcare professionals, whether nurses, doctors, specialists or administrative staff, is the basis of care, monitoring, treatment and revision. These communications are verbal, interpersonal interactions between nurses and staff as well as written interactions in the form of notes, end-of-shift and other reports, and electronic records. Clear, concise communication through these channels ensures the continuity of patient information through the healthcare system, in turn affecting the quality of care. The nurse's role is to support patients and improve their health and well-being. It's essential for nurses to develop a relationship with patients in order to foster trust, comfort and mutual respect. When nurses build this relationship to ensure honesty and transparency, they can gain a holistic understanding of their patients' needs. The accuracy of medical diagnoses also depends on this relationship. Patients are usually more forthcoming with nurses when they feel respected and understood. Fostering relationships with patients from all backgrounds necessitates strong intercultural communication skills and understanding. Forming positive relationships with the patient's family and loved ones also contributes to the overall quality of care. Important people in the patients' lives are integral to their care, offering support and strength through treatment and rehabilitation. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of communication in nursing. Safety precautions surrounding viral exposure and spread often prevent families from visiting patients in healthcare facilities. Through the use of modern virtual communication technologies, nurses are bridging the gap between patients and their loved ones. These virtual communication skills have also allowed for healthcare through telehealth visits. By developing competency and comfort with communication technologies, healthcare workers have been able to safely address many patient needs remotely. Good communication is also essential for maintaining the health of healthcare workers themselves. As highlighted by the pandemic, nurses are often overworked, stressed and exposed to dangerous circumstances. This can lead to burnout and other negative mental and physical conditions for them. Nurses often overlook their own needs and well-being to help others. Keeping one's co-workers, supervisors, family and friends abreast of one's circumstances is important to mitigating and preventing these conditions. Communication, both verbal and written, is an integral part of the nursing profession. It allows nurses to be effective in their roles, improving the efficacy of the healthcare provided, the patient experience and the nurse's own well-being. Learn more about UHV's online RN to BSN program. Sources: Harvard Public Health: The Importance of Effective Communication in Healthcare Practice NCBI: Communication in Nursing Practice NCBI: Effective Health Communication – A Key Factor in Fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic Nursing Times: Communication Skills 1: Benefits of Effective Communication for Patients Have a question or concern about this article? Please contact us. Ways to Improve with Patients and Family MembersCommunication skills are a necessity when you need to speak to a wide variety of people. Learning how to improve communication skills will make you a better nurse by enabling you to better understand your patient’s needs. Communicating effectively with your patients will make accomplishing your daily nursing tasks much simpler by minimizing the barriers to mutual understanding. Effective Patient and Family CommunicationConsidering your patient’s perspective is key to preventing encounters that resemble any kind of conflict, and sometimes the best way to achieve that is to, quite literally, get on their level. Not only does effective communication reassure patients and their families, but communication can have an impact on patient care and health and streamline processes in the day-to-day work of a nurse. It shows the humanistic side of the nurse (or any healthcare professional), building trust and happy healing. 1. Assess Your Body LanguageHave your body at the same level as the patient to prevent distraction and ensure that your sole focus is on them. If necessary, sit in a chair so that you can be face to face and making eye contact, versus leaning over or squating. And, always face the patient while speaking. 2. Make Your interactions Easier for ThemWhen communicating with a patient, keep your sentences and questions short, stay on one topic at a time, and explain difficult concepts in clear terms. Even though nurses are well-researched and knowledgeable, it’s important to speak in Layman’s Terms and simple concepts unless otherwise requested by the patient. 3. Show Them the Proper RespectAccommodate you patient’s requests as much as is safe and prudent. Rather than speaking in commands, offer them choices and if needed, provide redirection. Strive to help them maintain their dignity. This is especially important if you’re working in a skilled nursing facility. 4. Have PatienceDepending on your patient’s age, illness, or cognitive difficulties, they may move and speak more slowly than you do. Give them time to move at their own pace. Positive patient communications need not be rushed. It’s helpful to think about putting yourself in their shoes and imagine how you would want to be treated with respect and compassion. 5. Monitor Your MechanicsExpanding on the concept of making the interactions easier for the patients, it’s important to speak clearly and slowly, louder than you usually do, but without yelling. Enunciate complex words carefully and use simple language as much as possible. 6. Provide Simple Written instructions When NecessaryUse graphics where possible. Patients coming out of surgery or trauma are less likely to remember everything you’ve told them. In fact, it may be challenging for even a family member to remember the advisement you provide when emotions come into play. An easy-to-follow list of the basic concepts you’ve discussed will help to ensure compliance with their plan of care. Writing is a more permanent form of communication and may spark questions once the patient reads and digests the information. 7. Give Your Patients Ample Time to Respond or Ask QuestionsNot rushing through instructions or responses will help your patients feel like a valued partner in the management of their own health and make communicating effectively more likely. Asking questions builds rapport because the patient has the opportunity to provide information from their end or offer their own opinions. Communication Barriers in NursingA study featured in the Global Journal of Health Science shared that according to the patients in their study, the most dominant communication barriers were gender differences between nurse and patient, the nurse’s reluctance for communication, a hectic environment of the ward or facility, and the patient’s anxiety, pain, and physical discomfort. On the flipside, the most frequent communication barriers from the nurses’ viewpoint in this study were as follows: differences in colloquial languages of nurses and patients, nurses’ being overworked, family interference, and the presence of emergency patients in the ward. Importance of Patient and Family CommunicationBased on patient and nurse experience, the communication barrier could be conquered through compassion and patience. Distractions and emergencies never cease, and the workload never dwindles. It’s important for nurses to not only follow this list of communication tools, but to also avoid conveying their burdens or stress to their patients in order to achieve harmony. Are you ready to put your communication skills to good use? Browse our open job positions or talk to a recruiter today! Sources:
Why is communications important in nursing?As frontline workers in healthcare, nurses rely on communication for all aspects of their jobs. Strong verbal and written communication skills are central to improving health outcomes, fostering relationships with co-workers, patients and families, and navigating complex situations.
Why is communication important when assessing a patient?Communication skills form the foundation for a more positive patient-provider relationship, leading to greater patient satisfaction and better patient compliance.
Why is communication so important to the assessment step of the nursing process?The quality of communication in interactions between nurses and patients has a major influence on patient outcomes. Increases in nursing communication can lessen medical errors and make a difference in positive patient outcomes.
What is communication in nursing process?“Communication in nursing” defines exchanging information, thoughts, and feelings among people using speech or other means. The patient conveys their fears and concerns to their nurse to help them make a correct diagnosis.
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