The Importance of Communication in Nursing

Communication plays a significant role in message delivery. It means that no action can be complete without specific modes of communication. The types of interface generated from the way communication occurs, reveal the essence of having a channel to pass information from on point to another. Different types apply in different environments depending on the circumstance prevailing at that time. The situation of a patient and nurse require all kind of communication to help understand better (Fakhr-Movahedi, Negarandeh, & Salsali, 2012). Additionally, it also depends on the patient. If he is unable to talk use of nonverbal communication is significant. If he can communicate, then verbal communication applies. If there is a need for clarity and better understanding, then written communication is applicable. Communication requires channels to support the passage of information from one point to another. It involves the sender of information and receiver of information if it is a two-way communication. If it is a three-way, then it will involve a medium.

Past experiences impact on the health outcomes. If the patient previously was not satisfied with the services given he must be negatively affected. He loses trust and will not believe in medical services. Similarly, if he was attended to professionally, he will have a positive attitude towards the prescription. Cultural diversity can also affect the way communication is carried out by the nurses (McCarthy, Buckley, Engel, Forth, Adams, & Cameron, 2013). Some communities have their own beliefs, and if the information is transferred wrongly to the patient, it will have a negative impact. Emotional differences will create a gap between the nurse and the patient. Some patients will be emotional and will require special care when handled. To some nurses, this will not be applicable due to the differences in their emotions. Some patients may misunderstand the message delivered to them. The terms used may be too technical for them to understand and may have a negative impact.

Health outcome is affected by various communication experiences. The nurses need to pay attention to the patients to analyze their confessions. Therefore, a clear line should be drawn between the nurse and the patient to ensure confidentiality of the health status of the patient. The relationship should be of mutual understanding rather than that of fear and shyness. Therefore, proper communication will lead to proper prescription of drugs. If no proper communication and close examination of the patient then the results may be misleading.

A patient-nurse relationship should be enhanced for proper communication. The nurse should use simple language when communicating with the patients. The problematic terminologies will require the nurse to go an extra mile of translating their meaning. The nurses should not be harsh when dealing with the patients as this will make the patients open up to the nurses.
The type of communication involved between the nurse and the patient is that of therapeutic communication. It is a type of communication that involves oral communication. The patients convey relevant information that helps the nurses to make correct decisions. In this case, the nurse takes information and transmits other information to the patients (Fry, Gallagher, Chenoweth, & Stein-Parbury, 2014). Effective communication requires an extra mile between the nurse and the patient's experiences. That is why the nurses need to have good interpersonal skills and also study communication skills to help them overcome and understand the patient situation. The aim is to ensure that the nurses learn the applications of communication in the different fields of nursing. The message decoding will always depend on the receiver. The nurse should improve the relationship with the patients and ensure that they are comfortable and avoid misunderstandings. The nurse must ensure confidentiality and provide a favorable external environment.

The nurses should learn how to speak slowly to ensure that the patient opens up and reveals all the problems and experiences affecting him. The tone used will motivate the patient to speak up. Another strategy is that the nurses should ensure no use of slang. The huge vocabularies involved may scare the patients, and they may not understand the message portrayed. Another reminder is that the nurse should understand his audience. He should not put him in the shoes of the doctor. By doing this, the patient will be contented and be sure of confidentiality. Sometimes to those patients that are in much pain, body movements and gestures are significant when communicating. The signage will help the patient understand better.

In conclusion, communication is essential in any health facility. It is through communication that the nurses can be able to deliver correct diagnosis and treatment for various exposures. The nurses must study communication skills to understand how to deal with the patients effectively. The relationship between the nurse and the patient should resemble that of a mother and a child or even more than that. The patient needs a nurse who is friendly, speaks clearly and slowly.

References

Fakhr-Movahedi, A., Negarandeh, R., & Salsali, M. (2012). Exploring nurse-patient communication strategies. Hayat, 28-46.

Fry, M., Gallagher, R., Chenoweth, L., & Stein-Parbury, J. (2014). Nurses’ experiences and expectations of family and carers of older patients in the emergency department. International emergency nursing, 22(1), 31-36.

McCarthy, D. M., Buckley, B. A., Engel, K. G., Forth, V. E., Adams, J. G., & Cameron, K. A. (2013). Understanding patient–provider conversations: what are we talking about?. Academic Emergency Medicine, 20(5), 441-448.