Question

What resources do you use to improve your awareness of your communication skills in the professional setting? What are the most effective communication skills that nurses bring to collaborative interactions? Why are those so important in your own practice?

Answer 1

1) Resources

>Read books

>Using psychological tools

>Developing Interpersonal Communication Skills

>Take online courses

>Communicating Strategically

>Self Evaluation

>Get to know your audience

2)

Effective communication skills

1. listening:

- It is an active process of receiving information

- Response on the part of the nurse such as maintaining eye-to-eye contact, nodding, gesturing & other form of receptive non verbal communication convey to the patient that he is being listened to & understood.

2. Broad openings:

- Encouraging the patient to select topics for discussion.

3. Restating:

- Repeating the main thought expressed by the patient.

4. Clarification:

- Attempting to put vague ideas or nuclear thoughts of the patient into words to enhance the nurse's understanding or asking the patient to explain what he means.

5. Reflection:

- Directing back the patient's ideas, feelings, questions & content.

6. Humor:

-The discharge of energy through comic enjoyment of the imperfect.

7. Information:

- The skill of information giving.

8. Focusing:

- Questions or statements that help the patient expand on a topic of importance.

9. Sharing perceptions:

- Asking the patient to verify the nurse's understanding of what the patient is thinking or feeling.

10. Theme identification:

-This involving identification of underlying issues or problems experienced by the patient that emerge repeatedly during the course of the nurse-patient relationship.

11.Silence

- Lack of verbal communication for therapeutic reason. For example, sitting with a patient and non verbally communicating interest and involvement

12.Sugessting

- presentation of alternative ideas for the patients consideration relative to problem solving.

3)

These communication skills are very important in nursing practice. Because,

>Communication Establish a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship.

>It Identify the most important patient's needs.

>It assess the patient's perception of the problem.

>It facilitate the patient's expression of emotions

>It implement interventions designed to address the patient's needs

>Commutation creates a safe space between patient and nurses

>It provides more comfort