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The Importance of Communication in Nursing

Effective Communication plays an instrumental role throughout a patient's entire healthcare experience and a large portion of those responsibilities falls on the nurses. Nursing has had a significant effect on people's lives. As rapid change continues to transform the profession of nursing and health care systems. Today, nurses bring knowledge, leadership, spirit, and vital expertise in expanding roles and afford increased participation, responsibility, and rewards. Nurses possess a tremendous amount of medical knowledge and clinical expertise. Yet their greatest challenge and the most vital task is communication. Every step of the way, from patient intake to patient discharge and beyond, nurses must communicate well to provide comprehensive care. Communication is a vital element in Nursing and for nurses to be successful in their work they have to study communication and interpersonal relations.

Good communication between nurses and patients is essential for the successful outcome of individualized nursing care for each patient. To achieve this, however, nurses must understand and help their patients, demonstrating courtesy, kindness, and sincerity. Also, they should devote time to the patient to communicate with the necessary confidentiality, and must not forget that this communication includes persons who surround the sick person, which is why the language of communication should be understood by all those involved in it. Good communication also is not only based on the physical abilities of nurses, but also education and experience. Effective communication requires an understanding of the patient and the experiences they express. It requires skills and simultaneously the sincere intention of the nurse to understand what concerns the patient. To understand the patient only is not sufficient but the nurse must also convey the message that he/she is understandable and acceptable. It is a reflection of the

knowledge of the participants, the way they think and feel and their capabilities. Patients who feel like they are receiving all of the nurse's attention during an interaction are more likely to disclose the true extent of their feelings and symptoms much quicker. Patients may also feel more satisfied with their care if the nurse provides them with undivided attention.

Studies show that adverse events, many of which can be serious, are a high risk for patients after a care transition from inpatient hospital care to home and many of these events are preventable through good communication and education before discharge. Patients who have a clear understanding of their after-hospital care instructions, including how to take medicines and when to make follow-up appointments are 30% less likely to be readmitted or visit the emergency department than patients who lack this information (Educating patients before discharge reduces readmissions, emergency department visits, and saves money. Some essential strategies to maximize your communication effectiveness is: Include key learners One of the top reasons patient education fails is because key learners are not included in the learning process. To identify key learners, ask patients questions like: ● “Who will help you with care at home?” ● “Who will go with you to follow-up appointments?” ● “Who should be included in instructions about care after discharge?”

Include written materials that are language and literacy appropriate Instructions should be: brief, focused on critical information, primarily directed at what the patient needs to understand to manage his or her condition, and in the patient’s preferred language. Use plain language According to the Institute of Medicine, even very well educated individuals may not fully understand medical information, especially when these individuals are

made more vulnerable by poor health. The use of plain language applies to verbal and written communication and includes avoiding medical jargon and using everyday examples to explain technical terms. Some common examples include: Instead of "fatigue," use "feeling tired and weak". Use teach-back Using the teach-back method for confirming the learner's understanding of the information being explained improves compliance with treatment plans and leads to better outcomes. I understood the learner should be able to "teach-back" the information accurately. An example of a teach-back question is: "I want to make sure I explained things clearly, can you tell me some of the side effects to watch for with your medicine?" Take a multidisciplinary approach Nurses often play a primary role in educating patients for care transitions after hospital admission, but the expertise of other practitioners, such as pharmacists, dietitians, and physical therapists is especially beneficial when patients have complex medication, dietary, and therapy regimens. In 2012, a study published in the American Journal of Medical Quality showed that pharmacist-provided discharge counseling resulted in medication interventions, improved patient satisfaction, and increased medication adherence. (Sarangarm, et al., 2013)

Encourage questions and note-taking Patients are sometimes embarrassed to ask questions, and in some cultures, deference to authority stifles questions. Encouraging questions is an important way to engage patients as active partners in their care. Besides, note-taking enables recall and the synthesis of new information (DeZure, Kaplan, & Deerman). For especially important instructions or critical areas of emphasis, ask the patient to underline or place a star beside them.

Bibliography “Importance of Communication in Nursing: UNM Online.” The University of New Mexico, 23 Sept. 2016, rnbsnonline.unm.edu/articles/importance-of-communication-innursing.aspx.

Kourkouta, Lambrini, and Ioanna V Papathanasiou. “Communication in Nursing Practice.” Material Socio-Medica, AVICENNA, D.o.o., Sarajevo, Feb. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3990376/. PatientEngagementHIT. “Effective Nurse Communication Skills and Strategies.” PatientEngagementHIT, 18 Dec. 2019, patientengagementhit.com/features/effectivenurse-communication-skills-and-strategies....