2320 – Nurses’ opinions about the consultation-liaison psychiatry and the relationship between empathy and communication skills

Abstract

This descriptive study aims to determine that nurses who working in medical and surgical clinics for opinions about Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Unit and the relationship between emphatic tendency and communication skills. The sample of the study is consisted of 116 nurses who working in medical and surgical clinics between Agust- October 2012 and who are volunteer to participate the study. The data were obtained from Sociodemographic Data Collection Form, Empathic Tendency Scale and the Communication Skills Scale. Correlation, t-test, ANOVA tests were used in data analyzes. 50.5% of the nurses were worked in medical clinics, 52.2% of them were between the occupational experience of 1–5, 85.1% were registered nurse. 58.1% of the nurses directed patients to the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Unit (CLPU) and 66.2% nurses wanted to be receive consultancy on psychiatric nurse. Average point of emphatic tendency of the nurses is 72.62±7.82 and average point of communication skills is 76,22±9.65. There was a positive correlation between emphatic tendency and communication skills score (r=0.499, p=0.00) in nurses. The nurses who working in psychiatric clinic were more empathic tendencies than the others (t=2.618, p=0.014). More experienced nurses are directed to the CLPU (F=8.618, p=0.00). The majority of nurses were correctly identified of function CLPU. The most consultation is required for patients who are suffering from anxiety and depression. Nurses were required to counseling on communication techniques. CLPU is very important that both nurses and their patients in helping to psychosocial problems.