Communication in Nursing Essay Sample

discusses the importance of communication in nursing. According to Riley (2008), communication is a crucial component of social interaction and involves the exchange of messages between people through verbal or non-verbal means.

Throughout time, there have been several theoretical interpretations of the process that all involve communication as a key element. In 2008, Riley highlighted this interaction where the transmitter communicates their own thoughts and emotions.

Communication plays a critical role in the continuation of care when implementing the nursing procedure. The message is encoded by the transmitter and decoded by the receiving system. The process is repeated until all necessary information is communicated.

According to Alfaro-LeFevre (2005), the nursing process comprises five interrelated steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation.

Effective communication between a nurse and the patient or co-workers is essential to avoid straining the relationship.

Communication plays a crucial role in healthcare settings, as it has the potential to affect patients' priorities, well-being, and overall quality of life. Moreover, critical thinking skills are essential for nurses in clinical situations. When communication is inadequate, patients may not receive the attention they need, leading to disorganization and prioritization issues. This can also negatively impact nurse motivation and confidence levels. Ultimately, effective communication skills are vital for building and maintaining long-lasting professional relationships.

The importance of time for nurses cannot be overstated. It can literally determine whether a patient lives or dies, and is also critical to their daily duties of providing effective care.

Effective information gathering and provision by the nurse to the patient/client is crucial while also maintaining a positive relationship. It is important for the nurse to maintain a professional and approachable demeanor, avoiding over-familiarity with the patient/client in

order to ensure effective communication of necessary information.

According to Potter ; Perry (1995), nurses require a range of communication skills to adapt to various clinical environments or situations. They identify three primary levels of communication: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and public.

The process of intrapersonal communication involves a nurse utilizing their own self-awareness, knowledge, and expertise to determine necessary actions in a given situation. Often encountered through face-to-face interaction or in small groups, interpersonal communication is most common in nursing scenarios.

Nurses engage in public speaking when addressing large groups of people, such as students in lecture halls or consumer groups in healthcare education. Quick adaptability is crucial for nurses in these situations. Before comprehending someone else's self-concept, however, a nurse must possess an understanding of their own self-concept. Hogston & Marjoram (2007) state that this ability is developed through maturity and awareness.

Having knowledge of self-concept and self-awareness can lead to the ability to comprehend and empathize with others. Non-verbal communication abilities tend to receive insufficient recognition in various aspects of everyday life, despite their importance for nurses to effectively practice communication. It is imperative for nurses to prioritize this aspect of communication.

According to Dougherty & A ; Lister (2004), it is feasible to communicate a verbal message while also relaying an inconsistent non-verbal message. Considering the majority of literature indicating that at least 70% of communication is non-verbal, it should be recognized that body language plays a significant role.

The nonverbal communication expressed through facial expressions can contradict the verbal message conveyed. For instance, when a nurse verbally expresses confidence to a patient/client but simultaneously portrays an uncertain facial expression.

In order to prevent patients from perceiving nurses

as dishonest when engaging in external plans or activities, such as going shopping after their shift ends, it is essential for nurses to adopt a patient-centered care approach. Prioritizing the well-being of patients and focusing on their needs is crucial and can be demonstrated by asking about their health. Non-verbal communication also plays an important role in this approach.

Assessing body language can verify if a patient's denial of discomfort or pain is truthful, as pain sensitivity varies from person to person.

According to Roper et al (1996), physical manifestations such as heavy breathing, tense muscles, trembling and sweaty skin are indicative of acute pain even if a patient does not verbally acknowledge it.

Non-verbal cues can reveal visible traits in communication. Maintaining eye contact is important for a nurse to appear attentive during conversations.

As Crawford et al. (2006) state, it is essential to demonstrate interest in the information being communicated and sustain eye contact with the individual for a sustained time period, as this will make them feel included and engaged in the conversation or dialogue. This idea is highlighted in the subsequent HTML-tagged text:

According to Crawford et al. (2006), it is crucial to display interest in information being conveyed and maintain uninterrupted eye contact with a person. This makes them feel visible and engaged in the conversation or dialogue.

According to Videbeck (2006), patient-centred care is influenced by communication skills. However, cultural beliefs must be considered, as some cultures view eye contact as disrespectful.

The critical role of self-awareness in appraisal applies to nurses. Regrettably, this includes many individuals who work in nursing.

Individuals, particularly during childhood, primarily receive communication skills from their own cultures and backgrounds. This

may pose a significant obstacle when communicating with individuals from different countries or cultures. Roper et al. (1990) argue that the increasing challenge with communication is due to the prevalence of multicultural societies in most countries.

When the patient or nurse communicates in a language other than their native language, non-verbal communication becomes significant. According to Kenworthy et al (2002), focusing only on words may cause one to disregard other forms of communication, such as body language and posture.

Non-verbal communication cues such as gestures, tone of voice, and modulation are important for nurses to observe. When someone's words may not be clear, these cues can provide additional information for understanding.

Decoding meaning through tone or touch is a possibility. One vital aspect of nursing communication is effective record-keeping. Nurses must document patient information quickly and accurately. Abbreviations are commonly used, but they can lead to inaccurate recordings if not used properly.

It is important to avoid confusion in healthcare documentation, especially with new nurses and trainees. Familiarizing oneself with the policies of the specific institution is crucial, as there may be varying limitations on abbreviation usage. Actively listening is also crucial for accurate documentation.

Risking the safety of patients and nurses alike, distinguishing between a Mr Smith/Smyth/Smite etc. is crucial. This aligns with the existing theories that emphasis the significance of communication in nursing. Keep the and their contents.

The following reflection draws on a clinical experience to illustrate the application of theories and showcase the development of self-awareness through relevant experiences. Reflection is a crucial tool in bridging the gap between theoretical nursing approaches and their practical implementation in a clinical setting.

According to Palmer et al.

(1994), if a nurse does not reflect on a situation that they encounter, they may develop habits that are hard to break. This could have consequences for the nursing process and ultimately lead to inadequate care. Boud et al. (1985) also make this argument. The original text includes and should be preserved in the paraphrase.

Competency goes beyond simply taking practical action; it involves learning from practice through reflection. To facilitate this reflection, it is beneficial to employ a structured model or framework, which enables a systematic and logical approach to addressing events.

Considering the thoughts and emotions of the reflector, the cause and potential solutions for the situation if it were to occur again should be examined. According to Palmer et al. (1994), reflecting on events is an active and constantly evolving process, requiring a cyclical model of reflection that fosters self-awareness and understanding. It is essential to incorporate these concepts into any reflective practice.

The theoretical framework of reflection which I will apply is Borton's (1970) "What? So What? Now What?" model of reflection (see Appendix 1). This will enable me to address the aforementioned processes when reflecting on the encountered situation. During my initial six-week clinical placement, I had the privileged opportunity to provide assistance for Mr Peter Jacobs (see Appendix 2), who had received care eight days earlier.

During Mr Jacobs's isolated attention, he was diagnosed with suspected C. Diff and required barrier nursing in a private cubicle to prevent the possible spread of infection, according to Damani and Emmerson (2003, p.148).

During Mr. Jacobs's isolation and barrier nursing, I had an intuitive sense that he was embarrassed about the state of affairs. This

feeling was communicated non-verbally through his nervous smile and unhappy eyes when I entered his cell. Although he never directly stated that he felt this way, on the eighth day of his isolated care, I entered his cell already dressed in disposable gloves and apron.

I inspected whether his incontinence tablet needed to be replaced. The unpleasant smell of fecal matter indicated that it did. Instead of seeing a nervous smile and sad eyes, the expression on his face was one of confusion.

Not realizing it could be anything else, I attributed his confused expression to his mental state while preparing to meet Mr. Jacob's needs for elimination and hygiene by acquiring incontinence tablets, warm water, and wipes.

After observing him, it was evident that he remained confused. I asked about his well-being and received a negative response. Upon further questioning, he disclosed that a nurse had informed him of having passed the required incubation period to prevent any possible spread of infection.

When informed that barrier nursing was no longer needed, I didn't know about it and wondered if the patient's dementia had caused a misunderstanding, but I didn't express this idea.

I informed Mr. Jacobs that I would continue to wash him and change his incontinence medication using the same infection control protocol until any changes in his condition were observed. From the expression in Mr. Jacobs's eyes, it was evident that he was distressed. As I attended to Mr. Jacobs's requirements, he withdrew into himself.

Communication between us came to a halt in all aspects. Based on Mr. Jacobs' lack of verbal communication and body language, I sensed that he simply wanted me to fulfill his hygiene

and disposal requests and then depart.

While rinsing Mr. Jacobs and adjusting his incontinence tablet, we did not speak. However, as I finished up and prepared to leave, he suddenly expressed his desire for someone to tell him the truth. I assured him that I would talk to the staff nurse about it, which elicited a grateful smile from him.

While discussing Mr. Jacobs' barrier nursing with the staff nurse, I was told that it was no longer required because he had completed his asymptomatic period. However, I expressed my surprise as I had not been informed of this and had only provided barrier nursing to him. This upset Mr. Jacobs as he felt deceived.

The staff nurse expressed apologies on behalf of herself and her colleagues for not informing me. She recommended that I peruse all of the patients'/clients' attention programs while she spoke with Mr Jacobs. As I went through Mr Jacobs's attention program, I realized that he no longer required barrier nursing.

After perusing this information, I regretted not having read the attention program earlier to avoid such a situation. Initially, I felt that taking care of Mr. Jacobs was the right thing to do and continued to barrier nurse him even though he may not have been at risk.

After reflection, it is believed that paying more attention to preventing the spread of infection would have been crucial. This is particularly relevant if there was confusion or error in the approach taken (Mayhall, 2004).

If I had consulted the staff nurse or read Mr. Jacobs' care plan, it would have only taken me a few minutes to confirm whether he was correct or not about his care

needs. However, I didn't seek advice regarding Mr. Jacobs' care requirements.

My actions caused personal harm and made him feel like he was being lied to by the nursing staff, causing a breakdown in communication between us. This also resulted in a disruption in holistic care according to Videbeck (2006). These issues could have been prevented or resolved if I had better communication skills. This was particularly evident when Mr. Jacobs withdrew from verbal communication during bathing and changing.

Initially, I interpreted his intention as solely wanting me to complete the procedure and depart. However, upon reflection and considering the grateful smile he gave me when I mentioned consulting with the staff nurse before leaving, I now think he may have been seeking reassurance.

If assurance had been given earlier during Mr. Jacobs' treatment, Berger and Williams (1998) suggest that it could have resulted in better emotional results for him. Previously, due to my lack of self-awareness, I assumed Mr. Jacobs was uninterested in communicating, but this was later found to be incorrect.

Despite his potential opposing feelings, he was uncertain about dealing with the fear of being deceived again. He harbored resentment towards the employees for not informing him about Mr. Jacobs' altered requirements and thought that his actions had made Mr. Jacobs feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, and betrayed.

After reflecting on the situation, I acknowledge that being more proactive and assertive would have allowed me to address Mr. Jacob's concerns by checking the attention program or consulting with a qualified staff member immediately. Moving forward, I will promptly provide clients with the relevant information they require when they express their concerns. I will no longer be ignorant and

assume that my beliefs are superior or more important than those of the patient/client.

I now recognize that I am responsible for gathering important information about a patient/client's care instead of waiting for instructions from staff. It is particularly important given how easy it is for me to obtain the information myself. Furthermore, I have enhanced my ability to identify nonverbal cues from patients/clients.

Although I used some of these signs while taking care of Mr. Jacobs, I did not fully understand their significance to his emotions. This indicates the need for me to improve my ability to ask open questions. I think the entire situation has enhanced my personal awareness of how crucial communication is in nursing. In conclusion, there is a vast range of communication aspects in nursing that can be found in theoretical literature.

It is clear that the theory learned for this assignment is relevant to the clinical experience that was reviewed. This reflection confirms that both verbal and non-verbal communication can affect, interrupt, or halt the nursing process. A nurse must prioritize all aspects of communication in their conscience, otherwise they may come across as neglectful of a patient/client's personal feelings, resulting in negative consequences.

The text indicates a nonchalant approach to criticism, stating that effective holistic care in nursing requires self-awareness on the nurse's part, achieved through personal contemplation and continued education in relevant theory.

Agencies must strive to improve and advance the level of interpersonal attention they provide. Correspondingly, effective communication amongst colleagues is also important. Nurses' top priority should be patient-centred care, which requires all coworkers to work in harmony and communicate effectively.

A nurse should avoid making assumptions based solely

on their own beliefs or knowledge if they feel uncertain. Instead, they should effectively communicate their doubts to their colleagues through decisive, formal, and verbal means.

The importance of communication in nursing is demonstrated by the need for documented communication that addresses specific situations, needs, or requirements. A clinical example was used to illustrate this theory and the purpose of the assignment was to explore and support it. The author feels that this objective was successfully accomplished.

The text refers to a book titled "Using Nursing Procedure: A Tool for Critical Thinking (6th edn)" by Alfaro-LeFevre that was published in Philadelphia by Lippincott Williams and Wilkins in 2005. The text is contained within and is wrapped in a paragraph tag.

The author's name is Berger, K. J.

Collaborating for Optimal Health is a book about the fundamentals of nursing, written by Williams, M.B. in 1998.

Craven. R. F. and Hirnle. Stamford: Pearson Professional Education.

The book "Fundamentals of Nursing" is authored by C.J. and was published in 2006 as the 5th edition. The publisher is Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and is based in Philadelphia.

Crawford, P., Bonham, P., and Brown.

B. Damani's book "Communication in Clinical Settings" was published in 2006 by Nelson Thornes Ltd, based in Cheltenham.

N. N. and Emmerson, A. M.

The book titled "Manual of Infection Control Procedures" (2nd edition) was authored by Dougherty, L. and Lister and was published in 2003 by Cambridge University Press.

S. (2004). The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures (6th edition). Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd. by Ellis.

R. Gates, B., and Kenworthy, N.

Explosive detection systems and erectile dysfunction are mentioned in the book "Interpersonal Communication in Nursing: Theory and Practice" (2nd edn)

by Heath H B M, published by Churchill Livingstone in London.

The publication "Potters and Perry's Foundations in Nursing Theory and Practice" was released in 1995 and authored by Hogston, R. It was published by Mosby in London.

Palgrave Macmillan published "Foundations of Nursing Practice: Leading the Way" by B. Jasper in 2007, which includes information about Marjoram.

M. (2003). Commencing the practice of contemplation. Cheltenham: Nelson Thorn.Kenworthy, N.

. Snowley. G. and Gilling. C. ( 2002 ) .

The third edition of "Common Foundation Studies in Nursing" by Churchill Livingstone in Edinburgh was authored by Mayhall, C.G.

(2004) The third edition of "Hospital Epidemiology and Infection Control" was published by Lippincott Williams and Wilkins in Philadelphia. In 2008, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) established "The NMC Code of Professional Conduct: Standards for Conduct."

The Nursing and Midwifery Council in London addresses Performance and Ethical motives for Nurses and Midwives, according to author A. Palmer.

M. . Burns. S.

(No changes needed as the text is already unified and no is necessary)

Bulman and C. wrote about explosive detection systems in their book Reflective Practice in Nursing: The Growth of the Professional Practitioner, published in 1994 by Blackwell Science Ltd.

Communication in Nursing by Riley. J. B. was published in 2008.

The text enclosed in states that 'Elsevier Inc.' and 'Roper, N.' are associated with the Show Me state.

Logan. W. W. and Tierney. A. J.

(2006) Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing (3rd edn). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Appendix 1 Borton's (1970) theoretical account of contemplation framework suggests asking the questions What? So what? Now what? This model

is recommended by Jasper (2003) as a useful tool for new reflective practitioners, including nursing students.

Jasper. M. ( 2003 ) explains that Bortons' Model of Reflection, also known as Bortons` ( 1970 ) Framework Guiding Brooding Activities, is a cyclical model designed to address three key questions when reflecting on action. These are "What?", relating to the job, function, happening and outcome; "So What?", which considers the importance of the experience and lessons learned; and "Now What?", focusing on necessary actions for resolving situations, improving patient care and making it better.

Cheltenham: Nelson ThornAppendix 2
Patient: Mr Peter Jacobs
*Reasons for Admittance: Recovery from a 3rd shot and appraisal of mental wellness in respects to Dementia.
Time on Ward: Patient was admitted 3 hebdomads prior to pupils get down day of the month and remained on ward after pupils completing day of the month.
Care Plan inside informations: Mr Jacobs, who suffers from Dysphagia and severe palsy to left side of body and mild palsy to right side, is bed-bound and requires assistance with all nutritional consumptions. He also requires 100% aid for personal hygiene, including bed-bathing.

Mr Peter Jacobs requires assistance with personal hygiene and shaving. He also needs to take incontinence medication due to his dementia affecting his ability to control elimination. He has been living alone in a residential facility for three years following the passing of his spouse. A community nurse or care assistant visits him daily to monitor his well-being and assist with any necessary tasks resulting from his mild paralysis, which occurred after receiving two previous shots. Mr Jacobs was admitted to the hospital following a third shot, which caused severe paralysis

on the left side of his body. Along with suspected dementia, the paralysis requires ongoing care. The patient's name has been changed to Mr Peter Jacobs to comply with NMC (2008) confidentiality guidelines.