Nurse-Patient Communication Journal Analysis

Communication is usually taken for granted in our every day to day living as we use it without thought. Good communication skills are needed in the workplace and especially with nursing staff to and from patients when giving first hand care. Good or bad communication can make there experience within the health care setting a positive or negative one and can leave a lasting impression. A good health care provider can use there communication skills to put a patient at ease with a few comforting words or gestures, a lack of positive communication in the health care setting could leave the patient feeling neglected, ignored and not valued as a patient.

Communication is any form of expressing and receiving of messages between individuals. The importance of Communication in the nursing profession is to maintain high quality care for the patient but also maintain effective collaboration between professionals. Boykins, D (2014) states that the “registered nurse is expected to communicate in various formats and in all areas of practice”. Various formats include speaking to patients and coworkers as well as utilizing appropriate protocols and systems to effectively communicate regards to patient’s status.

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

This essay discusses the benefits of the interpersonal communication skills of questioning, listening and feedback within nursing practice, and details the benefits of these skills in establishing and maintaining the therapeutic relationship between nurses and patients within the various healthcare settings. The patients’ perceptions relating to the quality of the healthcare they received within healthcare settings are determined by the quality of their communication with their healthcare team, specifically with nurses who likely to be the health professional dealing with the patient regularly. Communicating effectively with patients contributes significantly to role in nursing care, and if practice correctly can attain a great patient and nurse communication relationship. Questioning patients is an effective tool in identifying relevant information regarding the patients’ health and wellbeing. To effectively implement the skill of questioning requires a trusting therapeutic relationship. Listening to the patient demonstrates that the nurse is genuinely interested and respects what the patient is saying. Feedback from patients is an invaluable tool in implementing quality improvements and ensuring that patients are receiving the best quality care possible and in term contributes to the overall patient satisfaction. Additionally, feedback can benefit the professional development aspect of the nurse’s role, and provides nurses with the opportunity to reflect on their

As a nurse, communication is an essential and important factor to building a therapeutic relationship between a nurse and patient as it is the difference between average and excellent nursing care, as it helps maintain a good quality of life and allows nurses’ and patients to interact and provide comfort when needed. The importance of good communication can become apparent with patients especially when they are in the hospital, as it helps the nurses build a positive relationship with patients and helps overcome barriers including physical, psychological and social. A therapeutic relationship is built on many factors which include both verbal and non-verbal communication which helps maintains the relationship and strengthens it due to the positive impact it has not only on the patient’s experience but also the nurse’s.

Communication is one of the basic survival skills of human and also a fundamental part of nursing. Effective communication would help to promote a positive nurse-client relationship which is crucial for the delivery of quality nursing care (Sheppard, 1993; McCabe 2003).

Effective communication in the healthcare setting improves recovery rates and reduces pain and complication rates. (Wilkinson et al, 2003). Many complaints to the NHS are attributed to poor communication. Effective communication is reliant on the nurse working in partnership with the patient. It is essential that the nurse establishes a rapport and most of this will be achieved through the use of facial expressions. In my practice, it is important that develop a therapeutic relationship with the patients so that they can be able to put their trust in me. The therapeutic relationship is solely to meet the needs of the patient. In this relationship, there is a rapport established from a sense of mutual understanding and trust. To build a good nurse-patient relationship, I would have to show qualities of empathy, caring, sincerity and trustworthiness. During practice, if I am approaching a patient and the patient looks anxious, I should approach with empathy.

McCabe C. (2004) Nurse-patient communication: an exploration of patients’ experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 13, 41-49.

Establishing a therapeutic relationship requires active communication between the Nurse and the patient, this inaugurates the dynamics throughout the entire duration of the patient’s admission in a professional, attentive and communicative manner (Robertson K, 2005). Listening is a vital skill than can be often neglected in the health industry; wards can be busy especially when taking care of multiple patients but it is essential to divide time evenly to receive relevant information from all patients (Zofi, Y & Meltzer, S 2007). Active listening can involve a multitude of behaviors such as body language, focusing on key terms, paying attention to their perspective and gaining an understanding of their situation; all these techniques together assist in creating rapport with the patient while promoting positive health outcomes (Bryant L 2009). This strategy of communication aims to exchange information efficiently while providing the patient a sense of comfort in an otherwise stressful and vulnerable condition all while forming a respectful therapeutic relationship with professional boundaries. This process takes time to become effective, as the patient needs to feel safe when providing potentially confidential information to the nurse (Robertson K, 2005). Once this foundation is laid, the nurse can process any information and ask any relevant follow up questions to the patient as they can feel

A study from Hailu (2016) shows, “lack of nurses’ skill in assessment, time constraints, physician attitude towards the nurses, nurses’ attitude towards the physicians, way of communication, poor communication skills of nurses and physicians were individual related factors associated with nurse physician communication (p.2), these could lead to a bad work environment meaning patient care could be put in jeopardy. Physicians behavior has shown to be a leading cause of the breakdown of communication with nurses, it is hard for nurses to communicate their medical views when physicians rudely interrupt and question their medical opinions. The chart featured below shows the framework perceived of nurse-physician communication: (Hailu,2016,

The definition of communication necessarily involves “an exchange of ideas and an ability to stimulate meaning for the recipient of the message”(Grover, 2005). Effective communication can be influenced by varies components such as gender, hierarchy, trust, self-disclosure, empathy, mutuality and context. This paper will discuss the importance for nurses to use effective communication skills in regards to different social groups and use specific interpersonal strategy. Additionally it identifies how nurses can enhance their communication skills to prevent potential communication barriers between a nurse and patient thus resolving problems or conflicts with effective problem-solving strategies (Davis, 2009).

To accomplish this, nurses must listen and help their patients, showing generosity, kindness, and sincerity. With the capability to communicate effectively and relate to patients, nurses can develop relationships, avoid medical errors and implement a higher level care. Patients’ viewpoint of the quality of acquired medical care is dependent on the quality of their interactions and communications with the medical team. The type of relation that a patient has with his or her clinician can extensively improve their health, obedience to treatments, and self-care. Clinician’s capability to effectively talk, pay attention, and be compassionate can have a serious effect on patient’s psychological and physical health outcomes. At the same time, patient’s satisfaction and safety improve. There are different ways that healthcare workers are trying to improve patient communication, utilizing SBAR makes communication more effective and consistent, team huddle and multidisciplinary rounds had a positive effect as well. Ethics play a big role in medical care, by respecting our patients, their values, and their individuality helps us establish a relationship with our patients and ultimately improves their health outcome. Communication is considered ethical when is direct, truthful and cooperative. After all, that is what our patients legally

Firstly, “A therapeutic nurse-patient relationship is defined as a helping relationship that 's based on mutual trust and respect, the nurturing of faith and hope, being sensitive to self and others, and assisting with the gratification of your patient 's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through your knowledge and skill. This caring relationship develops when you and your patient come together in the moment, which results in harmony and healing. Effective verbal and nonverbal communication is an important part of the nurse-patient interaction, as well as providing care in a manner that enables your patient to be an equal partner in achieving wellness.” (Pullen & Mathias, 2010, p. 4)

Poor communication puts patients in danger because it can lead to medical errors and adverse events. For example, a medication error can occur if a physician’s orders are not updated in time or if the outgoing nurse does not provide the correct time in which a dose was administered last. Thus it is crucial to communicate any recent treatment that has been implemented. In this way, nurses and physicians can facilitate the prevention of errors. Another consequence of ineffective communication is that it can decrease morale and increase work-related stress among members of the healthcare team. If nurses and physicians are not understanding each other’s actions, conflict ensues. It can cause toxic interpersonal relationships. This, in turn, will affect the level of patient care because it is difficult to focus amidst emotional strain and

Nurses tend to spend more time with patients than any other member of the health care team. As a person that spends a lot of time with each patient, he or she is a communicator for the patients in view of the fact that they interact with all roles within the healthcare system. Ms. Jennings states that “As a communicator, the nurse understands that effective communication