Nursing Communication Skills

Nursing programs equip one with knowledge that is essential for a nursing career. However, on getting employed, new nurses realize that it takes more than the knowledge acquired in class to be a great nurse. Unlike classrooms, hospitals create tense environments, especially due to the magnitude of responsibilities and in some cases, hostility from patients. Nurses are sometimes required to make tough decisions or even attend to patients who feel that they are not doing enough to ease their pain. In some cases, the demand for services exceeds resource availability, making their work extremely difficult. In addition, their socially significant roles demand that they develop a respectable character in addition to acquiring sufficient training …show more content…
At work, nurses are expected to communicate effectively to colleagues and patients. Effective communication is crucial for good relations at work and for the success of institutions or organizations. For example, patients need to understand and develop trust in healthcare professionals in order to open up on even the most sensitive details of their health conditions. This understanding and trust can only be developed through effective communication. Additionally, good communication skills are a must for nurses since the nature of their work demands that they work in teams. Without proper communication, such teams cannot achieve their set objectives. While nurses have developed proficiency, they also need to learn and improve their human relations skills, largely because there are so many factors that impact how they respond to circumstances. Considering that healthcare situations are characterized with many intricacies enhanced by factors such as physical fatigue, responsibility demands, anxiety, etcetera, nurses have an even more intricate set of circumstances to deal with. Therefore, it is significant that nurses take time to learn in more detail about communicating in healthcare settings. This helps them interact as efficiently as possible and that way, provide better services (Bach & Grant, …show more content…
Nursing is a demanding undertaking where traumatic scenes are common. According to Teng, Chang and Hsu (2009), efficiently managing the safety of patients is a main concern in places where nurses face high pressure. For example, heavy workloads that make them burn out, reduced career satisfaction and high turnover rates. Individuals with greater emotional stability are less likely to exhibit strong reactions to situations that are stressful. They tend to be more proactive and successful in solving problems. Hospital wards are places of contrasting scenarios where the joy brought by a newborn’s delivery can easily be replaced by the agony of losing a patient. That is, they are places where both suffering and joy are served in equal measure. To adapt to these frequent changes of emotions, a nurse requires a strong heart. This comes in handy in those difficult moments where nurses have to break the bad news of death and terminal illnesses and at the same time, comfort and give hope to the affected. It is not easy to have the ability to accept the death and suffering of patients without letting it get personal. In some cases, nurses suffer emotional and psychological distress to a point that they have to seek the services of professional counselors. It is therefore vital for health institutions’ managers to create a climate that encourages the emotional stability of