Effective communication is an essential component of quality nursing care. It is critical for building trust, improving patient outcomes, and increasing patient satisfaction. Nurses must communicate well with patients, superiors and other members of healthcare teams to provide safe and efficient care.
In this article, we provide an overview of the different facets of communication in the field of nursing and how they contribute to quality patient care.
Importance of communication in nursing
One of the cornerstones of offering high-quality nursing care is effective communication. Nurses regularly interact with patients, families and other healthcare team members to ensure that patients receive the best possible care. Poor communication can result in misunderstandings, medication errors, patient dissatisfaction and even adverse events, impacting patient health. Nurses who interact effectively can improve patient outcomes, lower the risk of medical errors, and endorse a culture of safety.
It is specifically important as nurses have a close relationship with their patients. They spend more time with patients than any other healthcare professional team member. They are responsible for coordinating care with other healthcare professionals while maintaining the best patient outcomes. It can also help build trust between nurses and patients and promote patient satisfaction. If patients’ concerns are heard and nurses listen and respond, they feel that they are being cared for. In this case, patients are more likely to follow the treatment suggested and will likely have better health outcomes.
Nursing also showcases the importance of communication, as it can help promote a safety culture within the healthcare organization. Communication is a fundamental part of a culture of safety that focuses on patient wellbeing. Nurses who interact well with patients can detect and address potential problems before they become serious issues. They can also offer timely and accurate information to other healthcare professionals in the team to lower the risk of medical errors.
These skills are also important for nurses when interacting with other nurses, physicians or healthcare team members. Communicating well with others ensures the delivery of high-quality nursing care. Nurses must report changes in patient status in a timely manner, discuss treatment options and care plans with doctors, understand the chain of command and reporting structure, and advocate for patients when necessary. For example, if a patient’s condition is not improving or if the patient is experiencing adverse effects from a medication, nurses must explain this information to the doctors and advocate for changes to the treatment plan. Timely reporting of changes in patient status enables superiors to intervene quickly and prevent adverse events.
Nurses must also converse well with other members of the healthcare team to address any concerns or conflicts that may arise during patient care. Nurses must also be aware of other healthcare team members’ different communication styles and preferences. Some healthcare professionals prefer to converse in writing, while others prefer to converse verbally.
Online nurse practitioner programs have become increasingly popular, allowing nurses to enhance their skills and knowledge without sacrificing their professional and personal commitments. Programs such as an online MSN-FNP from reputable universities such as Rockhurst University can help nurses become family nurse practitioners. This offers more flexibility, a higher salary and opportunities for growth. The program equips nurses with the necessary skills to converse with patients, colleagues and other professionals.
Verbal communication in nursing
Verbal communication is one of the important communication types involving the use of spoken words to deliver information to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals in the team. The ability to use clear and concise language, and the appropriate tone and body language, is essential in nursing. Active listening skills are also important. Nurses must be sensitive to patient needs to promote trust, satisfaction and positive patient outcomes.
Nurses must use clear and concise language while conveying information to patients. This will ensure that patients understand their diagnosis, treatment plan and medication regimen. The language must be easy to understand, and nurses must avoid medical jargon and other technical terms. They should also use a language that is suited to the patient’s education level and cultural background, and it should always be age appropriate.
Active listening is about paying attention to the patient’s verbal and nonverbal cues while responding appropriately. It can help build a good rapport with patients, which is crucial for building trust and providing patient satisfaction. Nurses must actively listen to patients to understand their concerns, expectations and any fears related to their illness or treatment.
While spoken words are essential, appropriate tone and body language are also essential for successful verbal communication in nursing. Nurses must deliver information in a calm, confident and reassuring tone so that patients do not panic. An appropriate tone and body language can convey empathy, compassion and concern. Eye contact and posture can also help convey empathy and build rapport with patients.
Written communication in nursing
Just like verbal communication, written communication is fundamental to nursing practice and care delivery. In nursing, this specifically involves using written or electronic forms of communication, such as medical records, progress notes, care plans and patient education materials. Proper written communication supports patient safety, quality care and collaboration among healthcare team members.
Nurses must use clear and accurate documentation practices, understand the use of electronic health records, provide effective patient education, and collaborate effectively with other healthcare team members to ensure that patients receive high-quality care.
Accurate documentation practices are crucial for patient safety and for offering high-quality care. Nurses must document patient information accurately and in a timely manner to ensure case continuity and effective communication among healthcare team members. Nurses are the primary contact person interacting with patients the most, so they must clearly and accurately document any relevant medical information in patients’ documents. This will help reduce the risk of medical errors, adverse events and even litigation.
Using electronic health records (EHRs) is one of the important aspects of written communication in nursing. EHRs contain all the patient information, including medical history, medications, allergies, test results and care plans. These allow healthcare professionals to access and share patient information securely and efficiently. Nurses are responsible for maintaining patient EHRs, which are essential in facilitating care coordination between different healthcare team members and supporting overall clinical decision-making. Despite their usefulness, EHRs also create challenges in healthcare as there might be errors because of incomplete or inaccurate information. To avoid complications, nurses must ensure that they document patient information accurately and completely to avoid errors that can compromise patient safety. Nurses must be aware of how to use EHRs and understand the technology and its limitations to maximize its effectiveness.
Nurses also use their written communication skills in patient education. This involves offering patients information about their health condition, treatment options, medication regimen and self-care. Patient education materials must be written in clear and simple language that patients can understand without using any medical jargon. These written materials must also be culturally sensitive and tailored to the patient’s age, education level and health literacy.
Five effective communication skills for nurses
Good communication in healthcare means satisfied patients, better health outcomes and an overall good experience. Nurses need this skill in order to understand the patient’s concerns and to provide better care.
Good communication with patients is essential for providing high-quality nursing care. Interacting with patients involves conveying information about their health condition, treatment options and care plan clearly and concisely so that patients can understand.
Here are the top five effective communication skills that are important for nurses in their profession.
- Verbal communication
Good verbal communication is especially important when patients are anxious, frightened or in pain. Nurses must use appropriate techniques to reduce anxiety and encourage patient comfort. They must use a calm and reassuring tone while speaking, listen actively to the patient’s concerns, and provide accurate and clear information about their condition and treatment plan.
Nurses must also use these skills with families and caregivers. They must provide clear and accurate information about the patient’s condition, treatment plan and prognosis. Nurses must also be sensitive to the emotional needs of patients’ families and caregivers, providing emotional support and empathy when needed.
- Written communication
Written communication skills are also essential in nursing. While they may not be most important for nurse-patient interactions, they are mandatory for nurse-to-nurse interactions. Nurses are responsible for creating and updating patients’ medical records. The information must be accurately and clearly updated in the medical record so that patients can receive the best care possible.
This skill is also important for collaboration within the healthcare team. Nurses must document information clearly and accurately so that it is communicated with physicians, other nurses and allied healthcare professionals. They must also keep the records updated so that patients can receive the best care. Collaboration among healthcare team members will also help promote continuity of care and ensure that patients receive high-quality care.
- Active listening
Active listening is another critical skill in nursing, and involves nurses paying attention to what the patient is saying, their nonverbal cues and their emotions, while responding appropriately. Active listening can help nurses better understand patients’ concerns, fears and expectations and even build rapport with them. Active listening skills can help nurses identify potential barriers to effective communication, such as language barriers or cognitive impairment. By identifying these barriers, nurses can then adjust their communication style accordingly.
- Empathy
Empathy is another essential skill for nurses. Empathy involves understanding the patient’s feelings and conveying a sense of understanding and support. Nurses must demonstrate empathy to help patients feel more comfortable and less anxious, and to build trust. Empathy skills also help promote patient-centered care, where priority is placed on the patient’s needs, preferences and values in the care plan.
- Sensitivity
Sensitivity involves being aware of the patient’s emotional state and adjusting communication to meet their needs. Nurses must be sensitive to patients’ cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs and personal preferences. They must understand them and adapt the way that they communicate accordingly. For example, if a patient is anxious or in pain, nurses must use a calm and reassuring tone and provide clear and accurate information about their condition and treatment plan.
When nurses face language barriers, they must use interpreters or translation services to ensure that the patient understands the information being conveyed. They must also use appropriate communication techniques for patients based on their language requirements, cognitive impairment, education level, age and others. For example, while working with patients with cognitive impairment, nurses must use simple and concise language while avoiding complex sentences. They must also repeat themselves when necessary.
Barriers to effective communication
There are several barriers that can hinder nurses’ ability to interact effectively. These barriers may result in misunderstandings, errors in patient care and poor patient outcomes, thereby increasing healthcare costs. Some of the common barriers are outlined below.
- Language barriers
Language barriers occur when patients and nursing healthcare professionals do not speak the same language. Communication can become challenging and ineffective if there is a language barrier, leading to misunderstandings and errors in patient care.
- Cultural barriers
Differences in the cultures of nurses and patients can also impact the quality of communication in nursing. Different cultures have different communication styles, beliefs and values, which can impact how nurses and patients interact with each other. While nurses may be saying one thing, the patient may misunderstand the information delivered because of the cultural barrier.
- Physical barriers
Physical barriers, such as noise, distractions and distance, are also barriers. If there is excessive noise or distracting elements, then nurses may find it difficult to understand the patient.
- Psychological barriers
Anxiety, fear and stress are some of the psychological barriers that can hinder communication in nursing. Patients may be anxious or fearful, affecting their ability to interact effectively with nurses. They may even find it difficult to understand the information explained to them due to fear.
- Hierarchical barriers
The power imbalance between healthcare professionals can result in ineffective communication. The absence of open communication and collaboration in the healthcare team can negatively affect patient care and health outcomes.
- Technological barriers
Technological barriers can occur when nurses are unfamiliar with the technology used in healthcare, such as EHRs. This can result in ineffective patient information documentation, leading to errors in patient care.
- Time constraints
Time constraints are one of the most common barriers to effective communication in any field. Nurses may not have enough time to converse effectively with patients or other healthcare team members, leading to a lack of collaboration and coordination in patient care.
- Ethical dilemmas
While communication is essential for quality patient care, some patients might not be forthcoming with accurate information about their history. Some patients may be uncomfortable giving informed consent about sharing the information with other healthcare professionals, which can impact care delivery.
- Attitudinal barriers
Attitudinal barriers, including biases and stereotypes that nurses may have about patients based on their age, gender, race or socioeconomic status, are another barrier.
Tips for improving communication skills as a nurse
Improving these skills is an ongoing process that requires constant practice and refinement. Here are some tips that nurses can use to improve their skills in this area:
- Practice active listening.
- Develop empathy.
- Enhance nonverbal communication skills.
- Learn cultural competency.
- Be assertive.
- Use simple language.
- Learn additional languages.
- Make notes.
- Develop social awareness.
- Ask for feedback.
- Embrace technology.
Conclusion
Effective communication is a fundamental aspect of nursing practice that is critical to ensuring safe, high-quality, patient-centered care. Nurses must converse effectively with patients, doctors and other members of healthcare teams through both verbal and written means to achieve positive outcomes. These skills are not only important for patient interaction, but they are also vital for interaction with other healthcare professionals so that the best care can be provided to the patients.
However, several barriers can hamper communication, leading to misunderstandings, errors in patient care and poor outcomes. By recognizing and addressing these barriers, nurses can enhance their communication skills and work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to provide the best possible care to their patients.
