Communication Skills Of Nurses Research Articles

How to take a comprehensive patient history.

A significant proportion of diagnoses are made based on history taking, often alongside physical assessments and laboratory investigations. Taking a thorough patient history is fundamental for the accurate diagnosis and effective management of health conditions. This article outlines a step-by-step process for taking a comprehensive patient history and discusses the evidence for this procedure. • History taking is a structured but flexible process of gathering relevant information from patients to inform diagnosis and treatment. • Important communication skills for nurses when history taking include active listening, empathetic communication and cultural sensitivity. • By actively engaging the patient in a conversation about their health issues, the nurse facilitates their participation and autonomy. REFLECTIVE ACTIVITY: 'How to' articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of: • How this article might improve your practice when taking a patient history. • How you could use this information to educate nursing students or colleagues on taking a patient history.

Barriers to Effective Communication Between Nurses and Patients from the Perspective of Emergency Nurses at Educational-Therapeutic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Effective communication between nurses and patients is essential for delivering quality patient care, particularly in high-pressure settings such as emergency departments. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the barriers hindering effective nurse-patient communication, as perceived by emergency nurses employed at the teaching hospitals associated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences in Iran in 2023. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 184 emergency nurses from five university hospitals using a census method. The sample population consisted of nurses working in emergency departments affiliated with Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences from May to August 2023, in Iran. Data were collected using demographic and the Barriers to Nurse-Patient Communication questionnaires, a validated and reliable instrument that assesses four domains hindering effective communication between nurses and patients. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Results: According to the calculations, 65.2% of the participants were female, with ages ranging from 23 to 54 years and work experience between 1 and 27.5 years. Additionally, 92.4% held a bachelor's degree, and 7.6% had a master's degree. The results showed that, according to the emergency nurses, the barriers to communication between nurses and patients in the four investigated areas, ranked from highest to lowest score, were occupational characteristics, environmental factors, personal-social factors, and patient’s clinical conditions. The highest obstacles identified were: In the field of personal-social factors, patient’s excessive expectations (4.05 ± 0.88); in the field of occupational characteristics, heavy workload (4.32 ± 0.90); in the field of patient’s clinical conditions, presence of a companion (3.17 ± 1.29); and in the field of environmental factors, lack of appreciation of nurses by officials (3.96 ± 1.09). The barrier scores did not significantly correlate with nurses’ demographic variables. Conclusions: According to the results, the biggest obstacles were in the field of job characteristics of the emergency nurses. Therefore, the findings of this research can help nursing managers identify and adjust communication barriers between nurses and patients to adopt more effective strategies for teaching and evaluating nursing communication skills, ultimately fostering effective communication between nurses and patients.

Cancer patients’ perceptions of nursing: Expectations & realities, a phenomenological study

PurposeDetermining the perception and expectations of cancer patients will inform nurses' understanding of how to conduct nursing care to meet patients' needs. Studies have mainly used quantitative methods to understand nursing image from the perspective of the public and the profession, and there are no recent studies to date on nursing image from the perspective of cancer patients. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore cancer patients' experiences and perceptions of nursing within the conceptual framework of Watson's Human Care Theory. MethodsIn total, 19 phenomenological semi-structured interviews were conducted with cancer patients between November 2022 and January 2023. Data were analyzed using Assarroudi et al.'s content analysis. ResultsThree themes emerged from the phenomenological analysis of the interviews: (1) nursing image, (2) expectations, and (3) realities. Patients stated that nurses act as assistants and that health services cannot be provided without them. Under the main theme of ‘expectations,’ five subthemes emerged: psychosocial care, physical care, ethics, individual characteristics, and no expectations, while the theme of ‘realities’ contained two subthemes: (1) satisfaction with nurse behaviors, and (2) dissatisfaction with nurse behaviors. ConclusionsOur study provides important insight for nurses working with cancer patients in the management of patient care and treatment. Empowering cancer nurses will increase patient care satisfaction. We recommend the implementation of programs designed to support nurses and improve nursing communication skills. We also recommend that the technical and psychosocial aspects of nursing care should be considered as a whole.

The effect of psychological first-aid virtual education on the communication skills of nurses in disasters: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDisasters have affected the physical and mental health of people around the world. Since nurses are frontlines in disasters, it seems necessary to prepare for this responsibility. This study investigates the effect of psychological first-aid virtual education on the communication skills of nurses in disasters such as COVID pandemic.MethodsIn a randomized controlled trial, 55 nurses were selected by purposive sampling method from two hospitals in Isfahan and Tehran, Iran in December—November 2022 and randomly replaced in the intervention group who participated in psychological first aid virtual training and control group. The data were collected through the personal information form and Communication Skills –Test-Revised (CSTR).ResultsTwo groups were homogeneous in terms of communication skills (p = 0.177), the total score of communication skills was significant between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.0001). Regarding communication skills, in the pre-intervention phase, the subscale of “the ability to receive and send messages” and “insight into the communication process” the difference before the intervention was not significant between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, it was significant between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.05), and regarding “emotional control”, “listening skills”, and “communication along with assertiveness” the difference before and after the intervention was not significant between the two groups (p > 0.05).ConclusionPre-disaster training and virtual education can increase nurses’ communication skills in their ability to handle a disaster such as COVID pandemic. Virtual education of post-disaster psychological interventions is suggested.Trial registrationIRCT20220923056023N1; date: 2023–01-31.

Psychology of doctor-patient interaction in the context of medical specialist's communicative tolerance

The relevance of the study is due to the need to find ways to ensure high-quality interaction between a doctor and a patient in the context of a medical professional's communicative tolerance. The purpose of the study was to determine the psychological characteristics of the interpersonal relationship between a doctor and his/her patients. The basis of the theoretical and methodological approach was a qualitative combination of methods of structural and functional analysis of the problem of psychological training of medical professionals and analytical research on the formation of constructive relationships between doctor and patient. Several surveys were conducted on the tolerance of healthcare professionals and their emotional well-being in the context of individual psychological characteristics. The results are presented, which reflect the methods of doctor's influence on the psychological state of the patient and his/her family. The question of how trust in a doctor and his/her professional competences is formed is highlighted. The problem of ethical principles, professional motivation of medical professionals and the specifics of their communication in the team are revealed. The subjective feelings of doctors about the work they do are revealed. The issues of modernization of medical education and digitalization of services are revealed. The conditions, components, and approaches to effective interaction between doctor and patient in the healthcare system are identified. The problems of developing diagnostic tools for assessing the psychological state of a medical professional in his/her professional activity are detailed. An experiment was conducted to substantiate the need to implement programmes to improve the communication skills of healthcare professionals, including interns and nurses. The practical value of the results of the research work is the possibility of using the outlined approach to improve the methods of improving the communication competencies of doctors in their professional activities

Role-Play Based Gamification for Communication Skills and Nursing Competence in Internal Medicine Nursing

Objective: This study aims to the effect of role-play-based gamification on the analysis of symptoms in Internal Medicine Nursing, decision making, administration of appropriate nursing care, and the communication skills of nursing students. Methods: The study was designed in participatory action research as a qualitative design. In the action research, gamification elements were constructed on a role-play performance of the students in Nursing Department at a private university in Ankara-Türkiye. A gamification based on systems role play was performed for students taking the internal medicine nursing course (n=10). Checklists for each system regarding the selection and use of equipment appropriate for nursing interventions have been added to the games. At the end of the semester they were asked to evaluate this intervention via qualitative interview. In the in-depth interviews, data were collected by asking the students 9 unstructured open-ended questions prepared by the researchers. Data analysis was carried out by hand coding by the researchers. Codes were created from the research objectives based on Werbach's D6 Model for gamification design. Results: The qualitative analysis revealed six major themes (i) Defining Business Goals (ii) Delineating Target Behaviors (iii) Describing Players (iv) Devising Activity Loops (v) Deploying Tools (vi) Not forgetting the fun. In these themes, students stated that by using game elements in lessons, it became easier to remember and apply theoretical knowledge about internal medicine nursing, improved their practical skills, time management skills and critical decision-making abilities, and that they better understood the importance of effective communication within the team. Additionally, students stated that the experience of learning the basic aspects of internal diseases, which are difficult to learn in theory, became fun with the gamification technique. Conclusion: The use of gamification, students learned nursing care and communication skills related to Internal Medicine Nursing education in a motivated and more permanent manner.

The effectiveness of Balint group work on the quality of work life, resilience, and nurse-patient communication skills among psychiatric nurses: a randomized controlled trial.

Balint group training has gained popularity in medical practices as an intervention designed to enhance the quality of life, well-being, and communication skills of healthcare practitioners. Psychiatric nurses, in particular, encounter distinct challenges and stressors inherent in their profession, necessitating the development and implementation of effective interventions to assist them in coping with the difficulties they experience. In this vein, the current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Balint group training on quality of work life, resilience, and nurse-patient communication skills among psychiatric nurses. Thirty psychiatric nurses from Razi Hospital in Tehran were recruited via the purposeful sampling method in 2022 and were randomly assigned to either the Balint group, consisting of eight weekly one-hour training sessions, or a control group. Participants completed the Walton Quality of Work Life Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Communication Skills Scale before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The study found no significant differences between the Balint group and the control group in terms of quality of work life, resilience, and nurse-patient communication skills. Findings suggest that Balint group training was not an effective intervention for improving the well-being and communication skills of psychiatric nurses. However, the study highlights the need for further investigation into the potential factors that may explain the lack of significant gains and offers insights for future research in this area.

Evaluation of a patient-centered communication skills training for nurses (KOMPAT): study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundTo ensure high quality of nurses’ communication as part of patient-centered care, training of communication skills is essential. Previous studies indicate that communication skills trainings can improve communication skills of nurses and have a positive effect on emotional and psychological burden. However, most show methodological limitations, are not specifically developed for nurses or were developed for oncological setting only.MethodsThis study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a needs-based communication skills training for nursing professionals and to derive indications for future implementation. A two-armed randomized controlled trial including components from both effectiveness and implementation research will be applied. Additionally, a comprehensive process evaluation will be carried out to derive indications for future implementation. Nurses (n=180) of a university medical center in Germany will be randomized to intervention or waitlist-control group. The intervention was developed based on the wishes and needs of nurses, previously assessed via interviews and focus groups. Outcomes to measure effectiveness were selected based on Kirkpatrick’s four levels of training evaluation and will be assessed at baseline, post-training and at 4-weeks follow-up. Primary outcome will be nurses’ self-reported self-efficacy regarding communication skills. Secondary outcomes include nurses’ communication skills assessed via standardized patient assessment, knowledge about patient-centered communication, mental and work-related burden, and participants’ satisfaction with training.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first study systematically evaluating the effectiveness of a patient-centered communication skills training for nursing professionals in Germany. Results will yield insight whether a needs-based intervention can improve nurses’ self-efficacy regarding communication skills and other secondary outcomes.Trial registrationClinical trial registration number: NCT05700929, trial register: ClinicalTrials.gov (date of registration: 16 November 2022).

The effect of continuous care on the recovery of patients with advanced colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

To explore the impact of continuous care on chemotherapy patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Six hundred forty patients who received chemotherapy from June 2015 to December 2022 were included in this retrospective study and divided into the observation group (n = 332) and control group (n = 308) based on different care methods that they received. The observation group patients were followed up using the continuous care team model, the control group patients using the traditional telephone follow-up model. A comparative analysis was conducted on the effects of 2 modes on patients self-care ability, treatment compliance, anxiety, depression, communication ability with nurses, level of hope, as well as the effects of toxic side effects and cancer-related fatigue. The self-care ability and treatment compliance of patients in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (P < .05), with lower anxiety and depression scores, toxic side effects, and cancer-related fatigue compared to the control group (P < .05). The communication ability and patient hope level of nurses in the observation group were also significantly stronger than those in the control group (P < .05). The application of continuous care can improve patients self-care ability and treatment compliance, effectively reduce anxiety and depression in in patients with advanced colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy, and improve nurses communication skills and patients hope level. Therefore, this practice is worth promoting clinically.

Factors influencing the formation of communication skills in nurses

Factors influencing the formation of communication skills in nurses

The effect of Alexithymia level on communication skills in intensive care nurses

This research was carried out as a descriptive study to determine the effect of alexithymia level on communication skills in intensive care nurses. The research was carried out between 15/02/2023-01/06/2023 with the participation of 105 nurses working in the intensive care units of a university hospital. The data were collected by using a 17-question information form prepared by the researcher in line with the literature, which determines the socio-demographic and communication skills of the nurses, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Health Professionals Communication Skills Scale. The conformity of the data to normal distribution was evaluated by Shapiro-Wilk and Kolmogorov Smirnov tests. Kruskal Wallis test, Mann Whitney U test, One-Way Analysis of Variance, and independent sample t-test were used in data analysis. In line with the findings obtained from this study, it was determined that intensive care nurses with high levels of alexithymia had low communication skills.&#x0D; Keywords: Alexithymia; communication; communication skills; nurse; intensive care.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography and endoscopic ultrasound: the pilot is only as good as the co-pilot – what do nurses need to know?

Endoscopy procedures require a collaborative team approach. Flight simulator training is an advanced method used to enhance the stress resilience and communication skills of nurses, which are crucial for successful execution. Novices need sufficient time to acquire expertise, so clear learning outcomes should be established for nurses in endoscopy. The European Society of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Nurses and Associates has developed a job profile and core curriculum for endoscopy nursing. Various simulators, including those using tubes and virtual reality, are available for training, with the Erlangen active simulator for interventional endoscopy being the most suitable. Monitoring the frequency of procedures allows for individual competency assessment. Effective communication is essential for success and safety. Postgraduate training programmes should be provided for individuals lacking endoscopy education. National and international meetings should attract doctors and nurses to promote teamwork and knowledge exchange. Advancements in technology will shape the job profile of endoscopy professionals, including short wire systems, single-operator cholangiocytes, nurse endoscopists, nurse-assisted propofol sedation, artificial intelligence, endoscopy robots and hybrid procedures.

Interpersonal Communication Skills of Nurse and Patient Satisfaction in Outpatient Unit

Interpersonal communication skills are one of the important things in nursing care. These skills mediate patient and nurse trust. Trust in health services is also stated as a factor that mediates patient loyalty to health services. Satisfaction is not always directly related to loyalty but its mediated by trust. This research aimed to identify a correlation between the interpersonal communication skills of nurses with the satisfaction of outpatients in hospitals. The research design used was a cross-sectional analytic design. Total 100 respondents in the outpatient unit were recruited using cluster random sampling. All instruments of interpersonal communication skills and patient satisfaction were based on validity and reliability test. Data analysis was done using Chi-square. The result showed that more than half of respondents (54%) said that the interpersonal communication skills of the nurse were good, and they were satisfied (51%). Bivariate analysis showed that there was a correlation between the interpersonal communication skills of the nurse with patient satisfaction (p &lt; 0.001, OR 2.946). This finding recommends that the interpersonal communication skills of nurses need to be developed by training to increase patient satisfaction.&#x0D; Keywords: interpersonal communication, patient satisfaction, nurse communication

Nursing Communication Skills Training: Added Importance During Crises.

During times of crisis, communication serves as an essential component of patient care. An educational program, previously created to provide knowledge and skills to master concepts of communication, was reexamined for usefulness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveyed in 2020, past program participants stated that combining listening skills and concepts of emotional intelligence improved their perceived team communication. Nursing requires communication and conflict management education for effectively functioning teams, which proved paramount during the global pandemic.

The Extent of Therapeutic Communication Skills of the Nurses of Medical and Surgical Wards of Philippine Public Hospital

This study determined the extent of the therapeutic communication skills of the medical and surgical nurses of the Philippine Public Hospital. This study employed a descriptive and focused research design. It utilized survey and observation methods. The researcher used a researcher-made questionnaire to describe the respondent’s profile and the extent of therapeutic communications skills, frequency counts, means, weighted means, and the rank was used. It reveals that the nurses are competent in therapeutic communication skills at the hospital regarding the Acting-Response Technique and Active Listening Response technique. It revealed that age, gender, ethnic group, the native language spoken, religion, and educational attainment were not significantly correlated to the acting response and acting listening-response techniques regarding the stand, open, lean forward, eye contact, and relax. However, the civil status of the nurse was significantly correlated to acting-response and listening techniques such as opening, paraphrasing, and reflecting. Based on this study’s significant findings, the following recommendations are drawn: Nurses should take graduate studies that will give them in-depth knowledge and practical skills in their field. They need to improve their therapeutic communication skills, develop and maintain a healing relationship in which their patient will experience security, and be optimistic that positive change is possible. Moreover, nurses should always possess a good and caring attitude toward their patients. It must be based on mutual agreement between nurses and patients as to what constitutes nurse caring behaviors. Likewise, to further enhance the therapeutic communication skills of nurses, a monthly orientation program and conducting a series of seminars must be done. Furthermore, the educational institutions offering the nursing course should emphasize their curriculum to improve the therapeutic communication skills of a student nurse.

The Performance of the Health Communication Assessment Tool© (HCAT-f) in Calibrating Different Levels of Nurse Communication Skills in a French-Speaking Context

Communication skills training is essential in nurse education. Miscommunication may lead to adverse events and unsafe healthcare. To date, valid and reliable instruments to serve both communication training and assessment purposes across different cultural contexts are scarce. The present study empirically tested a French-language version of the Health Communication Assessment Tool© (HCAT-f) across different levels of communication skills performance to establish its reliability and validity through a cognitive fluency framework. Ten experts in communication and 52 nurse educators rated three videos simulating conversations between a nurse and a patient scheduled for lumpectomy. Each video captured a different level of communication skills performed by the nurse: High, medium, and low. Three distinct constructs were identified, i.e., professional presentation, empathy, and trust building. At absolute single-measure, an ICC = .43 suggested adequate interrater reliability of the whole scale for the medium-performed scenario, which decreased in low-performed (ICC = .35) and high-performed (ICC = .18) scenarios. The HCAT-f fulfils the criteria of linguistic equivalence, contextual relevance, and demonstrates acceptable construct validity. It can be used as a summative assessment tool after prior training on scale calibration is in place because interrater agreement was difficult to be established in high and low performance scenarios.

Application of Nurse-patient Communication Skills in Pediatric Nursing

Application of Nurse-patient Communication Skills in Pediatric Nursing

Pediatri Hemşirelerinin Danışmanlık ve İletişim Becerileri ile Mesleki Öz Yeterlilikleri Arasındaki İlişki

Aim: This study was carried out to determine the relationship between counseling and communication skills of the pediatric nurses working in the northern region of Turkey and their professional self-efficacy.&#x0D; Method: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. 178 Nurses with working in the field of pediatrics who approved of participating in this research constituted the sample of the study. Data were collected by using Personal Information Form, Counseling Skills in Nurses Scale, Communication Skills Inventory and The Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale.&#x0D; Results: Mean score of the nurses from counseling skills scale was found to be 40.60±7.43 and mean total score from communication skills was 155.39±13.05, mean total score of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy scale was 67.31±7.89. It was determined that there was a positive and moderate relationship between the total scores of counseling and communication skills and the subscale scores (cognitive, emotional and behavioral). In addition, a positive and moderate relationship was found between the total self-efficacy and subscale scores (the quality of care and the tasks to provide professionalism subscales).&#x0D; Conclusion and Suggestions: Based on the result of this study, it was determined that individuals with a good counseling and communication skills had higher professional self-efficacy.

The Effect of Emotional Intelligence on Nurse’s Communication Skill

Practical and good communication is the key to carrying out their roles and functions for nurses. An obstacle in communication is the emotional response on the part of nurses. This study aims to acknowledge the effect of nurses' emotional intelligence – which comprises emotional awareness, emotional control, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills – on their communication abilities. Nurses with high emotional intelligence will give meaning to interpersonal relationships by making people feel at ease. The research method used quantitative with a cross-sectional design. The respondent was 96 nurses selected with proportional stratified random sampling method. The data was collected through a questionnaire. The results of multivariate analysis using multiple linear regression analysis statistical tests, obtained the values of ρ = 0.001; R2 = 0.209. Based on statistical test values, it can be concluded that nurses' emotional intelligence – comprising emotional awareness, emotional control, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills – significantly influences the communication skills of nurses at Ruteng Regional General Hospital simultaneously. Having a higher level of emotional intelligence leads to better communication with patients and a better level of health quality. It is expected that leaders and managers of nursing organizations should develop educational programs aimed at increasing the competencies of nurses in emotion control and communication skills.

The Application of Communication Skills in Health Examination Nursing

The Application of Communication Skills in Health Examination Nursing