Communication in nursing, whether between nurses and patients or nurses and other providers, can reduce the risk of medical errors, empower patients to make more informed health care decisions, and contribute to better workplace collaboration. Active listening and verbal and nonverbal communication are critical.
Nursing is an exciting career, as no two shifts are alike, and no two patients have exactly the same needs. Of course, this also presents challenges, and nurses need to rely on a solid technical and soft-skills foundation to be effective in the workplace.
Communication is essential for virtually all careers, but it is especially critical in nursing. At Notre Dame of Maryland University, we focus on helping our students build the foundational skills they’ll need to succeed in nursing, including nursing communication skills.
What Is Effective Communication in Nursing?
Communication skills in health care encompass more than the ability to explain concepts clearly. Communication involves using and interpreting nonverbal communication skills, practicing active listening, understanding the patient’s level of health literacy, and being culturally aware in a way that respects others.
Here are a few examples of what effective communication can look like:
- A nurse is adjusting a patient’s medication. The nurse asks the physician for clarification on the name of the medication to ensure they are administering the right one. This reduces the risk of a medical error.
- A nurse notices that a patient seems reluctant to discuss socially embarrassing gastrointestinal symptoms. The nurse uses open body language and a warm, friendly tone to explain that these symptoms are common and patients often seek medical care for them. As a result, the patient feels more comfortable with the discussion.
- A charge nurse hears two other nurses loudly discussing a patient’s sensitive medical information in the corridor. The charge nurse cautions them to move the discussion to the desk and speak more quietly to protect the patient’s privacy and confidentiality.
In short, communication in nursing should convey messages succinctly, put patients at ease, promote professionalism, and demonstrate cultural respect.
Why Is Communication Important in Nursing?
There are so many reasons why nurses need to focus on developing strong communication skills. The importance of nurse-patient communication is undeniable: Patients need to clearly understand their diagnosis, treatment options, and the potential risks of treatment, and they must be encouraged to ask questions, raise concerns, adhere to their treatment recommendations, and make informed decisions for their health care.
However, communication is also vital between nurses and other providers, such as physicians. With good communication comes the following benefits:
- More effective patient education
- Effective teamwork and collaboration
- Trust building
- Efficient operations
- Effective advocacy (both for patients and for nurses themselves)
- Better patient outcomes
- Reduced risk of medical errors
Communication isn’t the only important skill. Learn why good decision-making matters in nursing.
Essential Communication Skills in Nursing
Communication in nursing takes multiple forms. All of the following forms of communication can prove essential across different contexts and relationships. From delivering patient education to seamlessly transitioning patient care to the next shift, nurses need the following essential skills.
Active Listening
If you’ve ever tuned out to a conversation that didn’t engage you, you already know the difference between passive and active listening. Passive listening involves merely hearing the words, whereas active listening involves paying close attention, processing the information, and relating the information to another concept or a real-life situation. It also involves paying attention to the speaker’s nonverbal communication cues.
Verbal Communication
Verbal Communication Nurses must communicate clearly and unambiguously with their patients, nurses, and other health care providers. Verbal communication should always be culturally aware and consider health literacy. For instance, nurses shouldn’t assume that their patients understand concepts like drug-grapefruit interactions and pathophysiology; instead, nurses need to explain the fundamentals clearly and constructively.
Nonverbal Communication Cues
Nonverbal communication cues — using them and observing or interpreting them — can be just as important as verbal communication in nursing. Nurses can observe a patient’s (or coworker’s) communication cues, like body language and facial expressions. Patients sitting hunched over might be in pain, while those who seem subdued might be very worried about their condition. This information can serve to support more productive conversations.
Nurses can also use nonverbal communication cues, like open body language and an engaged facial expression, to comfort and encourage patients.
Written Communication
Nowadays, nurses often make digital notes, but when they do write with a pen, it’s essential to write legibly and clearly. Whether the note is handwritten or electronic, they must double-check the message afterward to ensure its accuracy.
Cultural Awareness
Nurses work with patients and coworkers from all backgrounds and walks of life. It’s important to approach each interaction with the knowledge and acceptance that someone else may have a different perspective.
Nursing care must be tailored to the individual patient. Learn about the importance of transcultural nursing here.
Emotional Intelligence
Although it’s not strictly a communication skill, emotional intelligence plays a vital role in nursing care. Skills like compassion and interpersonal relationships can improve communication in nursing.
Common Challenges of Communication in Health Care
As important as communication skills are in health care, clear communication has multiple challenges. Some examples include:
- Language barriers
- Poor health literacy of patients
- Cultural differences
- Physical environment (e.g., loud noises that discourage clear communication)
It’s the nurse’s responsibility to identify any challenges that may be present at a given time and to take steps to overcome them. For instance, if there are cultural differences, the nurse can ask openly and nonjudgmentally if the patient would educate the nurse about the issue.
Impact of Poor Communication Skills in Health Care
Poor communication can have many negative consequences in health care settings, underscoring the importance of developing strong communication skills. For example, a communication breakdown might result in a misdiagnosis, a medication mistake, or another medical error contributing to a worse patient outcome. In severe cases, the patient’s life may be at risk. Improving patient health and safety starts with strengthening communication skills.
Useful Communication Techniques in Nursing
There are many techniques for improving one’s nursing communication skills, including the following:
Patient Teach-Back
Patient teach-back is a highly effective yet simple technique. After explaining something to a patient, ask them to repeat the information back in their own words. This allows you to check their level of understanding and then rephrase the information as needed.
Active Observation
Patients are sometimes hesitant to verbalize what’s going on with them. An observant nurse can pick up on subtle cues, like changes in the patient’s mood or appearance. A polite comment about the change may encourage the patient to open up.
Information-Processing Time
Nurses are busy, and it can be tempting to fill every second of a patient-nurse interaction with talking. However, it’s often beneficial to be silent to allow patients to process information and then ask questions.
Open-Ended Questions
A nurse might walk into an exam room and say, “I hear you’re feverish and you’ve lost your appetite. Are you also having any stomach pain?” While there’s technically nothing wrong with this question, it may be more helpful to ask open-ended questions, like, “How are you feeling today? What sort of symptoms are you having?” This can lead the patient to provide more information than they otherwise would.
Begin Working Toward Your Career in Nursing Today
At Notre Dame of Maryland University, our comprehensive curriculum and dedicated instructors are focused on giving future nurses the skills they need to succeed and thrive in the modern nursing field. From soft skills like communication to technical skills like medical equipment operation, Notre Dame covers everything you need to know to work effectively in professional practice.
After graduating with your nursing degree, you can use the communication and interpersonal skills you’ve been taught at NDMU to navigate the nursing landscape. Our Accelerated 2nd Degree BSN (ABSN) program can allow you to graduate in as little as 15 months upon completing the prerequisites.
Contact an admissions counselor today to learn how Notre Dame of Maryland University can give you a firm foundation for your future nursing career.