Nurses are an essential component when it comes to delivering essential medical services. They contribute to improved health outcomes and the overall cost-effectiveness of services by providing patient-centered care to places with greater demand. In times of severe humanitarian catastrophes or natural disasters, nurses are frequently the first to arrive on the scene. In these situations, they serve as protectors, advocates, communicators, and coordinators amongst teams (Mokoka et al., 2010). Communication can take place in a variety of different ways. When communicating with patients and their families, nurses must do so in an adequate, compassionate, and professional manner. This is the case regardless of the wide diversity of educational, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds that patients and families may have. The level of communication between nurses and patients has a considerable bearing on the results experienced by the patients (Gault et al., 2016). As a direct result of this, the objective of this study is to investigate the significance of communication within the context of the nursing profession.
Maintaining open lines of communication between nurses and their patients is an essential step in minimizing the risk of any unwanted harm being inflicted. Even if they don’t immediately result in damage, such as the wrong prescription being provided, the minor mistakes can have the most significant repercussions. Because of, for instance, a misunderstanding between two doctors, a patient can take an excessive amount of the appropriate prescription (Kourkouta & Papathanasiou, 2014). As a consequence of this, there is the potential for highly adverse outcomes. The safety of patients can be compromised if nurses fail to communicate vital information to one another when switching shifts. In addition, there is a risk of death associated with patients and nurses being unable to communicate effectively. Selecting a course of treatment without taking into account all possible adverse effects, using the wrong drug, or not having a proper healthcare strategy in place are all examples of medical errors. There is a distinct risk that every one of these things will not go as planned. Patients and the hospital’s reputation can suffer from inefficient communication (Kourkouta & Papathanasiou, 2014). As a result of this, nurses must have strong communication skills. Continue reading to understand some of the benefits that improved communication may provide to you and your organization.
Communication makes it easier for nurses to comprehend the requirements of their patients, which in turn improves their ability to provide adequate care in response to those requirements. According to Grenuk, the nurse is the one who meets and greets patients as soon as they enter a medical facility. From the moment a patient is called in for triage until the moment they are discharged, nurses play a crucial part in providing care for that patient (Grenuk, 2021). Even though they are in a position of authority, doctors are unable to give their patients continuous monitoring or tailored care. The implementation of the care and treatment plan that the administration and the physicians have prepared is the responsibility of the nurses. Nurses are educated to quickly assess, evaluate, and learn more about the state of their patients. Nurses are virtually always the most effective choice when it comes to communicating a patient’s condition to other healthcare team members. Communication breakdowns can occur when the staff sees patients as a list of symptoms and chores rather than human beings with social and emotional needs. This can leave patients feeling dehumanized, whereas seemingly insignificant positive actions, such as explaining something, can have a profound impact. Because of this, patients will receive both prompt and correct care if nurses can effectively communicate with one another. In the event that there are no breakdowns in communication, patients will receive the treatment they require and at the highest possible level. It is impossible to deliver high-quality medical therapy without first possessing the communication expertise and efficiency necessary (Gault et al., 2016).
In addition, it helps gain a better understanding of the patient’s mental health. Because they tend to spend more time with their patients, registered nurses are the primary caregivers in a healthcare setting. A nurse needs to have the ability to connect with patients on a human level to acquire a comprehensive understanding of their health. Nurses may be able to provide more excellent all-encompassing care for their patients because of the trusting relationship they cultivate with their patients. In nursing, effective communication is essential for making patients feel at ease so they can be open and honest with their caregivers. They will be able to provide better care and support for the whole person, rather than just the physical aspects of the person, in this way. If nurses have better access to one another, they might learn about diseases or symptoms they were unaware of. This knowledge may affect the patient’s overall health outcomes over the long term. They can work more effectively with other medical specialists to implement care guidelines and make more informed decisions regarding treatment options.
The significance of effective communication is the ability to recognize the social circumstances that can impact one’s health. As a collective term, “social determinants of health” refers to the social, physical, and environmental aspects of an individual’s life that impact that person’s health. The socioeconomic factors that affect health, such as poverty, unemployment, food insecurity, and unstable housing, have been linked to an increase in the prevalence and severity of chronic illnesses and more significant morbidity and death rate. Effective communication with patients to understand what some of their social determinants may be can significantly contribute to improvements in patients’ health and well-being (Grenuk, 2021).
Additionally, having open lines of communication makes it easier to record how patients are being cared for accurately. Patients will feel more comfortable enough to open up to their nurses about their progress and their ideas on their treatment plan if the nurses can adequately explain their thoughts and feelings to their patients. Clinicians need to provide their full attention to their patients because the healthcare sector is fraught with complexities. Even in medicine, no one treatment is appropriate for all individuals. Each patient requires tailored care determined by the nurse’s comprehensive assessment of the individual’s condition and medical history. When nurses have a solid handle on what their patients want and why they want it, they can better adapt the care they provide to their patients. We will only be able to know for sure that each patient is receiving the best care that is now available to them if the nurses and patients can successfully express their treatment requirements and preferences to one another. In addition, this makes it possible to continuously monitor the patient’s progress and conduct an analysis of any deviations that may occur in real-time. The capacity of a nurse to sympathize with their patients and to check in with them frequently may help to relieve the mental and physical suffering that their patients experience (Kourkouta & Papathanasiou, 2014).
Nurses benefit from strong communication skills when it comes to advocating for their patients. To be someone who acts as a guide for patients as they navigate the healthcare system is, at its core, what it means to be a patient advocate. This role requires the nurse to have therapeutic interactions with patients as well as open lines of communication with them. Patients who take on the part of advocates for themselves serve the patient as an informant during the decision-making process while also standing by the patient and lending support as they make their own choice (Sibiya, 2018). One of a nurse’s responsibilities is to advocate for the patients they care for. Nurses must bridge any communication gaps that may exist between patients, other healthcare professionals, and the healthcare system itself. When a nurse can recognize patient issues, they are better able to alleviate their patients’ anxiety and provide them with a more positive experience. The patient is given reassurance as well as assistance by the nurses. They can clarify a diagnosis and make recommendations on how a treatment plan should be followed as well as which medications should be taken. They also help follow-up with physicians for things like getting lab results or essential information, among other things (Sibiya, 2018). With better communication in nursing, nurses can advocate more effectively for their patients. After all, patients come first, and it is the nurses’ responsibility to ensure they are both comfortable and happy. They will only be successful in this endeavor if they forge a bond with one another and maintain open lines of communication.
There is also an increase in the patient’s sense of safety. The nurses’ capacity to communicate clearly with patients is equally as important as their ability to communicate with one another and the patients they care for. If nurses want to ensure their patients’ well-being, they need to communicate clearly with one another and with the physicians who are providing medical care for the patients (Grenuk, 2021). For example, people who work as nurses in the intensive care unit or emergency room. High levels of tension and stress are not uncommon in situations like these. At any moment, the emergency room might receive a critically ill patient or the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Nurses need to learn how to keep their cool under pressure so that they can provide the best possible care for their patients. It is common practice for nurses to switch shifts or communicate with their colleagues regarding information regarding a patient that is continually subject to change. If they receive accurate and consistent updates, the healthcare team will be able to provide better care for the patient. A straightforward misunderstanding could lead to a catastrophic error in medical care that could have been avoided, such as an incorrect diagnosis or an incorrect dosage of medication (Grenuk, 2021). Therefore, for nurses to be able to deal with the stresses of their jobs and, more importantly, to ensure the safety of their patients, they should put a lot of effort into improving their communication skills.
Effective communication is also essential for determining the specific requirements that must be met. A patient might have other needs in addition to receiving medical treatment. Because of their religious or dietary preferences, certain patients might require additional accommodations during their stay. Nurses are in a unique position to ensure that this data reaches the appropriate parties, ensuring that the patient receives care that satisfies their needs without compromising the quality of that care. This is because nurses are in a position to ensure that this data reaches the appropriate parties. According to the University of Houston-Victoria, the health and happiness of those who work in healthcare depend on their capacity to communicate efficiently. The pandemic has shed light on the fact that nurses are frequently subjected to excessive workloads and high levels of stress and are placed in conditions that could be life-threatening. Because of this, their mental and physical health may suffer. When it comes to their own needs, nurses frequently put those of their patients ahead of everything else they do. You must inform your coworkers, supervisors, family members, and friends about your situation. This is the first step in mitigating and preventing the effects of these conditions (University of Houston-Victoria, 2021).
In conclusion, nurse communication encompasses a much more comprehensive range of activities than simply having conversations with patients and other nurses. The nurses are the ones who are at the forefront of communication. They can contribute more to the overall success of your healthcare organization if you equip them with the appropriate knowledge and technology. To accomplish these goals and ensure the satisfaction of patients, nurses must possess practical communication skills. These skills require good interpersonal skills, an understanding of the requirements of patients, training, and ongoing education for nurses. Communication between nurses and patients requires a level-headed and compassionate approach, attentive listening, clinical expertise, and possibly even technology to meet the demand for high-quality care that also caters to patients’ psychological and physiological requirements. Therefore, effective communication in nursing can help patients have a more positive experience while receiving care in your hospital and ensure that they are both satisfied and safe. When they leave, your patients will have a sense of having been supported emotionally as well as physically. In addition, effective communication will be necessary for preserving the health of the individuals working in the healthcare industry.
References
Gault, I., Shapcott, J., Luthi, A., & Reid, G. (2016). Communication in Nursing and Healthcare: A Guide for Compassionate Practice. In Google Books. SAGE. https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=uNYQDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA119&dq=The+Importance+of+Communication+in+the+field+of+Nursing&hl=sw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjnyare2-H5AhWThM4BHXloCWwQ6AF6BAgIEAI
Grenuk, J. S. (2021, November 30). 6+ Benefits of Effective Communication In Nursing. TigerConnect. https://tigerconnect.com/blog/six-ways-nurse-communication-improves-deliver-healthcare/
Kourkouta, L., & Papathanasiou, I. (2014). Communication in Nursing Practice. Material Socio Medica, 26(1), 65–67. NCBI. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2014.26.65-67
Mokoka, E., Oosthuizen, M. J., & Ehlers, V. J. (2010). Retaining professional nurses in South Africa: Nurse managers’ perspectives. Health SA Gesondheid (Online), 15(1), 1–9. http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?pid=S2071-97362010000100015&script=sci_abstract&tlng=af
Sibiya, M. N. (2018). Effective Communication in Nursing. In www.intechopen.com. IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/59779
The University of Houston-Victoria. (2021, April 16). The Importance of Communication in Nursing. The University of Houston-Victoria Online. https://online.uhv.edu/articles/rnbsn/communication-in-nursing.aspx
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