Communication in Nursing Practice

DOI: 10.5455/msm.2014.26.65-67 Published online: 20/02/2014

Received: 11 November 2013; Accepted: 15 February 2014 Published print: 02/2014
AVICENA 2014

PROFESSIONAL PAPER Mater Sociomed. 2014 Feb; 26(1): 65-67

Communication in Nursing Practice

Lambrini Kourkouta1, Ioanna V. Papathanasiou2

Nursing Department, Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece1

Nursing Department, Technological Educational Institute of Larissa, Greece2
Corresponding author: Ioanna V. Papathanasiou, RN, MSc, PhD, Clinical Professor. Nursing Department. Technological Educational Institute of Larissa,
Greece. Phone: +302410684446. E-mail: [email protected] , [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Good communication between nurses and patients is essential for the successful outcome of individualized nursing care of 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 on education and experience.
Key words: Communication, Nursing, Nursing Care, Communicational Skills, Principles of Communication.

1. INTRODUCTION In order for the nurses to be successful in their work they

Nursing as a health care science, focuses on serving the needs have to study communication and interpersonal relations in
of human as a biopsychosocial and spiritual being. Its practice their education with special courses and internships. They need
requires not only scientific knowledge, but also interpersonal, to learn the various aspects and applications of communication
intellectual and technical abilities and skills. This means a com- in various fields of nursing (6). In this context it is understood
position of knowledge, clinical work and interpersonal commu- that emphasis must be placed on the importance of communi-
nication (1). Communication is a vital element in Nursing in all cation between nurse and patient and nursing education must
areas of activity and in all its interventions such as prevention, focus on communication skills of nurses.
treatment, therapy, rehabilitation, education and health promo-
tion (2). The nursing process moreover as a scientific method of 2. PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION
exercise and implementation of Nursing, is achieved through Communication can be defined as a transaction and mes-
dialogue, through interpersonal environment and with specific sage creation. The entire process occurs in a context consisting
skills of verbal communication (3). of physical space, cultural and social values and psychological
As communication we can define the exchange of informa- conditions (7). Communication assists in the performance
tion, thoughts and feelings among people using speech or other of accurate, consistent and easy nursing work, ensuring both
means. Therapeutic practice involves the oral communication the satisfaction of the patient and the protection of the health
of public health officials and nurses on the one hand and the professional. When health professionals are not trained in com-
patient or his relatives on the other. It is a two way process. munication skills, they face more difficulties separating work
The patient conveys their fears and concerns to their nurse and from their personal life, tending to transfer problems from one
helps them make a correct nursing diagnosis. The nurse takes side to the other (8).
the information and in turn transmits other information to Communication is an intrinsic characteristic of human
the patient with discretion and delicacy as to the nature of the nature. Nobody cannot communicate. Communication has
disease and advises with treatment and a rehabilitation plan for content and value. The contents regards to what was said, whilst
health promotion (4). the relationship regards as to how it was said. The nature of the
Effective communication requires an understanding of the relationship depends on how the two parties understand the
patient and the experiences they express. It requires skills and communication sequence (9). Communication is never uni-
simultaneously the sincere intention of the nurse to understand directional. It is an interaction in which each sender becomes
what concerns the patient. To understand the patient only is receiver and vice versa. The failure to recognize the two-way
not sufficient but the nurse must also convey the message that communication capability, quite often leads to negative conclu-
he/she is understandable and acceptable. It is a reflection of the sions and attitudes (10).
knowledge of the participants, the way they think and feel and Moreover, the message sent is not the same as the message
their capabilities (5). received. The decoding of the messages is based on individual

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Communication in Nursing Practice

factors and subjective perceptions. This fact, in conjunction with third parties unrelated to the care of the individual patient are
the process of feedback makes communication. We interpret coming in and out (18). In such an environment the patients
something that we heard not according to what the sender actu- are ashamed to express themselves freely (19).
ally said but according to our own code (11). Particular attention Unfortunately, the concept of privacy is pretty much un-
should be given by the caregivers to use technical terms and known to the Greek hospital system. Skilled nursing operations
medical terminology during their contact with the ill, because for the patients are made in chambers without screens or in hall-
it is often found that the patient ascribes different interpreta- ways, in front of others. Patients and visitors of hospitals move
tions to what he hears or even more cannot understand what is without restriction in all the areas of the nursing and clinical
meant exactly, mainly by the therapist, thus increasing mental departments. However, it is up to us to teach our colleagues and
stress, a fact which makes it more difficult to communicate especially the new nurses and their patients setting the right
with the patient (12). example, in order for things to slowly change for the better (20).
Communication happens without words. It is an ongoing Even more than the comfort of space, communication with
process. This non-verbal communication is expressed by facial the patient requires ample time. Each patient has his own way
expressions, gestures, posture and physical barriers such as dis- and pace to reveal his problem, but it takes some time to get to
tance from the interlocutor (13). It is important that there is know the nurses and feel the confidence necessary to face them.
an agreement between verbal and nonverbal communication. The patient should have the feeling that the time-whether it is
Particularly under stressful conditions where it is difficult to five minutes or an hour-is entirely his. The patient who has the
see the changes in the non-verbal messages of the patients with undivided attention of the nurse reveals his problem sooner,
whom we mostly communicate (14). Moreover, each patient with the satisfaction that the nurse has listened and observed
has his own specific characteristics that influence not only be- him (21). After the nurse has listened to the ill, he/she should
havior in the process of communication, but also if and how to also talk to him. The language he uses for this purpose is very
cooperate with nursing services and how they will undertake important. Often the patient is bombarded with big words with
self-management of health (15). little or no significance for him (22). Once again the nurse may
Listening is important in communication. It is responsible be directed to the ill in an incomprehensible way. Patients that
nursing practice and requires concentration of attention and are ashamed of their ignorance or are hesitant, avoid seeking
mobilization of all the senses for the perception of verbal and an explanation, and as a result the consultation is inadequate
non-verbal messages emitted by each patient. By listening, and does not lead to the right outcome for the patient. The lan-
nurses assess the situation and the problems of the patient; they guage of communication should therefore be at the level of the
enhance his/her self-esteem and integrate both the nursing di- listener, who is not able to assess our scientific knowledge, but
agnosis and the process of care at all levels (5). has to understand what we are telling him (23).
Good personal relationships are described as the ability of the Another important requirement for proper and successful
nurse to ask questions with kindness and provide information communication between nurses and patients is frankness and
in a way that does not scare, that demonstrates interest, creates honesty. The discussion with the patient should leave no suspi-
feelings of acceptance, trust and a harmonious relationship, cions, doubts and misunderstandings. For example, if the patient
especially in modern multicultural society (16). The therapeu- suspects that while chatting with him we are making gestures
tic relationship is an important prerequisite to effective com- to an escort, he/she will suspect that we are not telling him the
munication between health professionals and patients in order whole truth (4). Where there is a need for a separate and pri-
not only to transmit information, but also to effectively address vate discussion with someone from the patients environment,
mental processes which are activated by it. The communication we should be very careful of the place, manner and time of this
between health professionals and patients include the ability to communication, which should be independent of the discussion
express sincere concern for the care of the patient and the patient with the patient (24, 25).
becomes a partaker of this interest (9). Communication as already stated is bidirectional, but the
nurse or other health professional is responsibility for its proper
3. SPEAKING WITH THE PATIENT conduct. The patient comes into the dialogue under stress and
Communication between health officials-in this case nurses- the emotional events he/she is facing. Moreover, depending on
and patient is a process that begins with the first contact of the the psychosynthesis it can be more or less calm. Reactions such
two and lasts as long as the therapeutic relationship. The nurse, as anger, disbelief, moaning, aggression and denial of reality
who wants to create the right relationship with the patient, must are known defence mechanisms, which are recruited to help
win him/her from the first moment. This will happen if the him adjust to the new situation he is facing (8, 26). The angry
conversation is held in appropriate conditions. Even though it patient usually does not have any previous personal differences
seems obvious, it should be noted that courtesy and kindness with health professionals, although they are the direct recipi-
on part of the nurse is required (4, 17). ents of his anger. The latter should understand and accept these
The patient should feel comfortable with the nurse, but mechanisms which serve the underlying anxiety of the patient
the latter should protect his/her prestige and not give rise to and to respond with information, awareness and readiness to
misunderstandings. A key element is the need for a peaceful provide all possible assistance (27).
environment with no external distractions, which will ensure Finally, people differ in their needs for communication. Some
appropriate confidentiality of the dialogue. Frequently we see expect or require patient listening, without caring much about
the phenomenon of serious discussions taking place in the mid- the answers. Others want a specific explanation for everything
dle of the corridor of the outpatient department or the nursing that happens to them. These different needs should be treated
department, clinic, or in some office of the hospital, in which accordingly by the nurses, who should be able to detect what

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 Communication in Nursing Practice

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