EFFICACY OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM ON KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND EMPATHIC TENDENCY OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING STUDENTS AT MENOUFIA UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Communication skills are the basis of interactive relationships among nurse, health team and their patient. That affords opportunities to establish trust, rapport, understand the client experience, formulate client intervention and optimize health care resources. Aim of the study: The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of communication skills training on knowledge, attitude and empathic tendency of nursing students. Design: A quasi-experimental pre-test, post and follow up test design were utilized to conduct this study. Setting: The study was conducted in the technical institute of nursing at Menoufia University. Sample: A purposive sample of 103 nursing students who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. Tools: Three tools were used in the present study; the first tool was a structured interview questionnaire consisted of two parts, the second tool was the communication skills self- assessment exercise and the third tool was empathic tendency scale. The researcher designed the communication skills training program according to the student's needs, and implemented it in eight sessions. The study was carried out from September 2016 to March 2017. Results: The results of this study a positive statistical significant correlation of student's knowledge, attitude, and empathic tendency. Also, a highly statistical significant improvements in students' knowledge, attitude and empathic tendency post intervention. Conclusion: The training program led to statistically significant improvement in communication knowledge, attitude and empathic tendency of nursing students toward communication skills. Recommendations: Develop communication skills training program into a wider scale in the study setting and in similar settings to confirm its positive effect and to reach generalizable findings