Exploring a Key Nursing Concept - Term Paper Example

Sub Communication in nursing This paper stresses the importance of efficient communication skills in nursing as a practice. It primarily concentrates on key communication skills together with their definitions as well as the constructive effects that result when they are employed in actual practice. Efficient communication, therefore is essential to the provision of high-quality, compassionate nursing care. The paper is structured in the following parts; introduction, importance of effective communication in compassionate nursing care, importance of training in communication skills for future skills, Importance of effective communication in engaging with patients/healthcare services, Effective communication in compassionate nursing care and finally conclusion. This paper’s objective is refreshing as well as developing existing knowledge together with understanding of efficient communication skills. This is because effective communication assists nurses in developing a more conscious approach of communication with co-workers, several friends and family members that visit the patient during their admission in the hospital with the goal of enhancing health outcomes as well as patient satisfaction. Such communication therefore is an important aspect of nurse’s everyday work (Bach & Grant, 2009). Introduction Communication generally can be described as a process through which information is passed through exchanging of non-verbal and verbal messages, leading to individuals creating relationships with one another. Communication is vital in the relationship between the nurse and the patient and is one of the 6 essential values that the government has singled out in its quest for delivering compassionate, high quality care for the patients. Communication therefore is key to effective caring relationships in addition to successful team working (Bramhall, 2014). The importance of nursing is highlighted by the Nursing and Midwifery Council(2008) in its code of conduct ,affirming that nurses should fulfill patients’ communication and language needs in addition to sharing with them in a manner that they can comprehend the information, they need or want to know regarding their health. This implies therefore that effective communication assists vulnerable patients in not only coping but also making better and informed decisions regarding their treatment and care. Nevertheless, upholding effective communication in a healthcare environment that is busy, especially in vulnerable patients and frequently stressed staff needs highly developed interpersonal skills and an awareness of self and others as well (Webb,2011). A rising bulk of evidence reveals that with training; it is feasible to develop and enhance effective communication. Nevertheless, in recent times; there has been a rise in discontent about care as well as considerable failings in attitudes and communication of healthcare staff. Thus, the necessity to offer compassionate care is stressed, though it is hard to explain exactly what it is and the manner in which it can be exhibited in practice (Burnard & Gill, 2013). The Free Dictionary 2014 defines compassion as a deep consciousness of another person’s suffering coupled with the desire to alleviate it. Compassionate care can also be described as relational actions that are concerned with the manner in which we associate with other individuals especially when they are susceptible. The different definitions and perceptions of what compassion normally is, underlines the challenges of exhibiting this intricate connection with another individual in nursing practice. This implies that if nurses had a profound awareness and understanding of what effective communication is then, they would not simply become overwhelmed and fail to operate within the prerequisites of their professional roles. Importance of Training in communication skills for future practice A Royal College of Physicians report (2014) proposes that communication skills training should be compulsory for all healthcare professionals especially those involved in caring for patients who are dying. The report claims that if nurses and other healthcare professionals feel more competent and confident in engaging in such sensitive discussions, more communication would occur at a time when patients as well as their loved ones are better and able to plan and adjust accordingly to a dire situation (Sheila & Brian, 2014). Generally, nurses learn majority of communication skills from their colleagues and senior staff who themselves may have gotten modest or no training in communication skills. Normally, this kind of informal technique may be efficient for some, however, it may provide little opportunity or constancy for development and feedback. Encouraging effective communication in a healthcare environment is normally complex, challenging and demanding due to the nature of the working conditions; which frequently is pressurised and stressful, thus offering limited time for effective communication training. If in future nurses are to surmount these challenges, then they need to be backed by evidence-based high-quality training. This is because nurses must receive frequent training in communication skills if they are to feel competent and confident in their various roles (Sully & Dallas, 2010). The benefits for such training to the patients, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders are clear-thus good communication has a great influence on the patient’s symptom resolution, emotional health, function as well as physiological measures like blood pressure in addition to reducing reported drug use and pain. For instance fear has the possibility of increasing pain and may hinder the birthing process in labour ward (Sully & Dallas,2010).Nurses also experience benefit if they feel confident and competent enough regarding management of communication situations like tackling difficult questions, breaking bad news as well as responding expertly to a strongly emotionally charged atmosphere. In addition, for a nurse to have a flourishing career, it is essential that s/he thoroughly works on communication skills since it is of great importance right through one’s career, be it in aiding easier communication with respective patients and colleagues to consideration for promotion (Sheldon,2009). Importance of effective communication in engaging with patients/healthcare services It is important that nurses have sufficient skills that maintain the focus of effective communication not only to the patient but also other users of health care services. Such skills include empathizing which basically is showing appreciation of what the other individual seems to be experiencing ,making well informed guesses by seeing and hearing cues that provides one with a hint about the other person’s feeling, searching and listening for cues which involves noticing both non-verbal and verbal gestures, body language and words so as to understand the needs of the patient, negotiation which involves requesting for permission to discuss what the issue could be, making use of minimal prompts such as small encouraging gestures and words for instance nodding ,active listening and acknowledging by showing response to what one is hearing or noticing (Sheila & Brian, 2014).s Communicating with patients and other healthcare stakeholders is important since the time spent in hospital is normally stressful both for patients as well as their friends and families who tend to become angry and impatient if they sense that they are not being treated well. A nurse should therefore bridge any gap existing between the patient and the institution. It is also the responsibility of the nurse to periodically update patients and their relations so as to ease possible mounting anxiety, speak patiently and politely to them in addition to extracting as much information from them for quick diagnoses and more efficient treatment plans. For any organization to properly function, it is important that its workers communicate effectively. This is very important especially in a hospital where several lives are at risk .Because of their unique role of holding the hospital together, it is important that nurses have a smooth channel of communication since lack of the same can result in acute consequences, especially if patient medicines, schedules or files are not properly communicated, a scenario that would go down as negligent care of the patient. Communication with colleagues is especially crucial when taking over from another healthcare professional whereby everything needs to be effectively communicated from minute details such as patient’s favourite diet to their medicine schedule. Effective communication in compassionate nursing care Perhaps, empathy and effective communication are more pragmatic approaches of demonstrating that nurses care and appreciate their patients’ experiences as they deal with hard diagnoses, treatments, signs of ailments. Thus empathy coupled with effective verbal communication can provide support in addition to comfort during times of distress, anxiety and vulnerability. Empathy can be defined as the capability to keep back one’s own feelings and thoughts. Though it sounds simple; in practice, health professionals such as nurses frequently have an uncontrollable need to provide reassurance, solution and information to both relatives and patients (McCabe & Timmins, 2013). The need and necessity to alleviate and assist in times of distress can take over the feelings and thoughts of any nurse. That is why it is necessary for nurses to be effectively trained in communicating effectively so as that they can set aside the practice of overwhelming personal feelings and thoughts which hinders active listening as well as effective communication .The quality and availability of training in communication skills is variable, though some workshops offer evidence that participation and attendance may have an overall positive impact on clinical practice (Baughan & Smith, 2013). Conclusion From the above discussion it is clear that communicating effectively is a key skill for all healthcare professionals particularly nurses because nurses spend a lot of time with patients and their loved ones compared to any other healthcare staff. Rapport development is particularly integral in promotion of high-quality patient care. This leads to the growth of supportive relationships between patients from contact with genuine, caring and warm healthcare professionals. Whenever nurses carry out effective communication showing keen interest listening actively, and demonstrating compassion, patients are bound to describe their experience as being positive, even during times of ill health and distress. The role of a nurse provides a unique opportunity in caring for the patients as well as their loved ones in a wide range of hospital settings. Thus, every contact point is an opportunity of enhancing relationships and patient care by using effective communication (Sheila & Brian, 2014). It is also essential to bear in mind that effective communication does not involve words only. Most frequently, nearly 80 percent of communication takes place via body language which primarily involves any kind of eye movements, hand gestures and behavioural changes. Nurses should always bear this in mind and practice accordingly all the time. Thus, small changes in the manner that one communicates can lead to a whole world of difference. List of references Bach, S & Grant, A 2009 "Communication and Interpersonal Skills for Nurses." Learning Matters . Baughan, J & Smith, A 2013 Compassion,Caring and Communication:Skills for Nursing Practice. New York: Routledge. Burnard ,P & Gill, P 2013 Culture,Communication and Nursing. New York: Routledge. Bramhall, E 2014 "Effective Communication Skills in Nursing." Continuing Professional Development : p1-7. Sheldon, L 2009 Communication for Nurses:Talking with Patients. New York: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Webb,L 2011 Nursing:Communication Skills in Practice. New York: Oxford University Press. McCabe, C &Timmins, F 2013 Communication Skills for Nursing Practice. New York: Palgrave Macmilan. Sheila, R, Brian, W 2014 Achieving Competencies for Nursing Practice:A Handbook for Student Nurses. New York: McGraw-Hill Education(UK). Sully, P,& Dallas, J 2010 Essential Communication Skills for Nursing and Midwifery. New York: Elsevier. Read More