Interpersonal skills training for student nurses during introductory course

Abstract

FOR MANY YEARS nursing staff have been able to hide behind their uniforms and procedures to distance themselves emotionally from the patients in their care. Indeed, the ability to distance oneself and not become 'emotionally involved' was deemed to be both necessary and valuable. More recently, it has been recognised that the ability to contact people directly at an emotional and personal level is an essential nursing activity. To communicate effectively with patients, their families, and colleagues is now accepted as a fundamental nursing skill. The nurse must have the capacity to form and maintain effective relationships with those people with whom he or she comes into contact. Until recently, little consideration was given to the acquisition of these skills during basic nursing training. Some courses and techniques have now been described (Dietrich, 1978; Brunning, 1981). In addition, a number ofcourses have been described at a post-basic level (Spy and Stone, 1981; Nurse, 1980). In America the situation is very different. Davies (1981) reviews a number of different approaches to modifying or improving nurses' social skills. In an effort to meet the deficiencies, particularly in basic training, a programme was organised within an introductory course to deal specifically with interpersonal skills training. The aims of the programme were as follows: • to help the students improve their relationshipbuilding and communication skills; • to promote an increased self-awareness; • to help the students gain in empathetic understanding of, and sensitivity to, others.