The Good & Bad of Nursing Communication

"Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon."  ~Dag Hammarskjold

Communication in nursing one go the many important aspects. Communication is such an important skill to have not only with your co-workers, but especially with your patients.

Communication builds a therapeutic relationship with your patients. It allows you to engage with your patients and show them that you care and that you are there to help them. When the patient can see that you are communicating with them, they feel a sense of caring and empathy. When a nurse performs bad communication skills with a patient, the patient feels as if they do not know what is going on. They can sometimes feel that they are not important enough to be informed about their health. The patient has every right to know what is going on and must be able to have the nurse communicate with them and be able to work as a team for the best possible outcome. The patient will be more willing to listen and cooperate with you when communication flows and you are both able to work together to set goals.

Communication is also a major part of working in health care. As a nurse, communication is key. You need to be able to work with the physicians, other nurses, and any other co-worker. In health care, everyone works together as a team. You need to be able to share report with an oncoming nurse, communicate with physicians about your patient, and work with respiratory therapists, physical therapists, and many others. Overall, you are an advocate for your patient and without good communication skills, you put your patient at risk for not receiving the best care possible.