Communication
For
Nursing & Midwifery
INTERNAL STUDENTS
HS1111
WEEK 1
Study Guide
JCU | Course Coordinator | Julie Shepherd | 2017
JCU | Course Co-coordinator | Susan Edwards | 2017
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Week One
Internal Students
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INTRODUCTION
Hello and Welcome to HS1111– Communication for Nursing and Midwifery. My
name is Julie Shepherd and I am the subject coordinator for this course. In
commencing this subject it is important that you pay close attention to the subject
outline. The subject outline will provide you with the information you require to
successfully complete this subject.
This subject, ‘Communication for Nursing and Midwifery’ will introduce you to the
process of effective interpersonal communication and aims to help you to develop your
skills in building professional helping relationships with the people you care for and
work with. The focus of the subject is on the development of professional helping
relationships. Being able to understand a client's experience of health and illness is
central to the helping process. Through the process of learning effective
communication skills you will also learn about yourself and the way in which you
communicate with others. You may find that you will gain a new perspective regarding
communication and adopt new methods and skills to enhance your interpersonal
behaviour. You will find that healthcare is a rewarding profession although at times
you may find it challenging. Having the ability to effectively communicate is vital in the
nursing profession. The teaching of this section of the course is designed to give you
experiences in practising communication skills before you begin to work with clients.
SUBJECT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Outline the key components of the communication process

Identify the goals of effective communication for health professionals

Discuss barriers to and facilitators of effective therapeutic and professional
communication

Reflect on elements of effective written, verbal and non-verbal communication in
therapeutic and professional interactions

Demonstrate effective interpersonal communication with individuals and groups.
The weekly activities set out for you will assist you with your learning and help you to
build your knowledge and understanding of the critical skill of communication in
Nursing and Midwifery. It is in your best interest to complete the content weekly.
“Effective communication is central to safe person centred care and effective
therapeutic relationships”.
(Kozier and Erb, 2015, p.510)
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Throughout this subject you will be required to access resources or undertake
activities in order to develop your skills and growth in this area. Some resources will
be readings from your assigned textbooks, websites, and journal articles (which you
may need to seek out—but are available by accessing the JCU library). It is highly
recommended for this subject that you familiarise yourself with PebblePad and
commence your practice of reflective writing form your very first week.
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions or clarification on issues.
My contact number is (07) 47 816 513 and my e-mail is julie.shepherd@jcu.edu.au.
I would suggest that if you cannot contact me via phone (I am out teaching most of
the time), please forward an email with your questions or to make an appointment. I
will be available each Wednesday at 1300-1500 or Thursdays at 1100-1300 to
answer questions and discuss the lecture &/or activities. It is preferable if you make
an appointment prior.
Before you begin your weekly activities please take the time to consider how you will
manage your study time for this and any other subject you are enrolled in this
semester. It is advisable that you write a study planner to keep you on track and alert
to any important dates or activities required.
Video Clip
For a bit of fun, please click on the following link:
Substitute teacher Mr Garvy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRpsRKuyi3Y
Week 1 - Overview
This week we explored:

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Communication fundamentals
Person/woman Centred Care
‘Person centred care has a long association with nursing, and at a level of principle is
well understood as that which is concerned with: treating people as individuals;
respecting their rights as a person; building mutual trust and understanding, and
developing therapeutic relationships’.
MCormack & McCance (2010, p. 1)
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ACTION PAGE
(Please bring the following work
completed, in preparation for week 2.)
DO

Week 1 online quiz - opens Friday 24th Feb 6am-midnight
Activity 1
Ask a friend or family member the following question and write down their answers:
“If you were a patient in hospital, how would you want to feel?”
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Now list what you would want to feel, if you were a patient in hospital.
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‘The manner in which we engage patients’ needs to be deliberate, with proper,
intentional adjustments made to the ways in which we use ourselves as therapeutic
tools’.
(Raphael-Grimm, 2015, p. 13).
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Activity 2
Do the following activity and bring to class next week:
1. Read the list of values on the following page.
Don’t think too much about it, just circle any word or phrase that feels important to you. Pay
special attention to those words that jump out at you. Simply chose words that feel right to
you.
Be alert to the tendency to select words that you think you should choose!
2. Circle or highlight only words that speak to you of the essence of who you are.
Common personal values
Accountability
Accuracy
Achievement
Adventurousness
Altruism
Ambition
Assertiveness
Balance
Being the best
Belonging
Boldness
Calmness
Carefulness
Challenge
Cheerfulness
Clear-mindedness
Commitment
Community
Compassion
Competitiveness
Consistency
Contentment
Continuous
Improvement
Contribution
Control
Cooperation
Correctness
Courtesy
Creativity
Curiosity
Decisiveness
Democraticness
Dependability
Determination
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Diligence
Discipline
Discretion
Diversity
Dynamism
Economy
Effectiveness
Efficiency
Elegance
Empathy
Enjoyment
Enthusiasm
Equality
Excellence
Excitement
Expertise
Exploration
Expressiveness
Fairness
Faith
Family-orientedness
Fidelity
Fitness
Fluency
Focus
Freedom
Fun
Generosity
Goodness
Grace
Growth
Happiness
Hard Work
Health
Helping Society
Holiness
Week One
Honesty
Honour
Humility
Independence
Ingenuity
Inner Harmony
Inquisitiveness
Insightfulness
Intelligence
Intellectual Status
Intuition
Joy
Justice
Leadership
Legacy
Love
Loyalty
Making a difference
Mastery
Merit
Obedience
Openness
Order
Originality
Patriotism
Perfection
Piety
Positivity
Practicality
Preparedness
Professionalism
Prudence
Quality-orientation
Reliability
Resourcefulness
Restraint
Internal Students
Results-oriented
Rigor
Security
Self-actualization
Self-control
Selflessness
Self-reliance
Sensitivity
Serenity
Service
Shrewdness
Simplicity
Soundness
Speed
Spontaneity
Stability
Strategic
Strength
Structure
Success
Support
Teamwork
Temperance
Thankfulness
Thoroughness
Thoughtfulness
Timeliness
Tolerance
Traditionalism
Trustworthiness
Truth-seeking
Understanding
Uniqueness
Unity
Usefulness
Vision
Vitality
HS1111
3: Prioritize your top values
This step is probably the most difficult, because you'll have to look deep inside
yourself. It's also the most important step, because, when making a decision, you'll
have to choose between solutions that may satisfy different values. This is when you
must know which value is more important to you.
Write down your top 9 values, not in any particular order.
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From this list of 9, choose 4 that are the most important to you. This can be very
difficult for some and easy for others. Take your time, narrow your list down to
select those words that best represent you. These are your top priority values.
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4. Reaffirm your values
Check your top-priority values, and make sure they fit with your life and your vision for
yourself.
Do these values make you feel good about yourself?
 Are you proud of your top four values?
 Would you be comfortable and proud to tell your values to people you respect
and admire?
 Do these values represent things you would support, even if your choice isn't
popular, and it puts you in the minority?
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Remember to bring to class next week
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VIEW
Video Clip
This story portrays Vanessa’s story and is based upon the findings from the Coroner’s report
into her death in 2005. Although Vanessa’s death resulted from a combination of human and
systems errors, pay particular attention on the communication and medication safety issues
that occurred during Vanessa’s hospitalisation. Carefully consider how the poor
communication between the health professionals involved, impacted upon medication safety
and how this could have been prevented. At the same time reflect on how your learning will
impact your future practice.
Vanessa’s story
http://www.ipeforqum.com.au/modules/vanessa-anderson/
15.35 minutes
Reflective Thinking
After viewing this video, discuss your feelings about this story. What have you learnt
from Vanessa’s story and how will you apply your communication skills in practice to
prevent these type of errors? Describe what a vital role effective communication is in
healthcare. Bring your responses to your next tutorial.
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Video Clip
The Value of Self-Reflection
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1bgdwC_m-Y
Watch and Listen to this short TED talk as a young man explains his experience of
reflection. James Schmidt | TEDx University of Glasgow
11.13 minutes
A Patients Story
http://www.theberylinstitute.org/default.asp?page=LearningBiteStory
Marcus Engel, Founder and Speaker, I'm Here Movement, shares his personal patient
experience story and discusses how to actively listen to patients in order to empathize
with their situations.
2.11 minutes
Rapport & shared care planning
http://www.theberylinstitute.org/default.asp?page=LearningBiteAgenda
Sumita Khatri, Physician/Co-Director Asthma Center/Facilitator, Center for Excellence
in Healthcare Communication, Cleveland Clinic, discusses tools for intentional verbal
communication of empathy with patients. By engaging in reflective listening
enhancement, healthcare providers can aid one’s ability to hone in on the patient’s
problems and have a unifying and personalized plan.The Beryl Institute
2.57 minutes
Great Communication/ Great care
http://www.theberylinstitute.org/default.asp?page=LearningBitePartners
Kristin Baird, President/CEO of Baird Group, discusses the daily impact of nurses on
the patient experience. By focusing on great communication and great care, nurses
can impact consistent positive patient experience and clinical outcomes.The Beryl
Institute
3.11 minutes
Reflective Writing
Familiarise yourself with PebblePad and commence your practice of reflective writing
form your very first week. This week: Create a personal page in Pebble Pad and
commence writing a reflection on your thoughts and feelings about communication
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READ
Textbook
Please read:
Chapter 2 of your prescribed text
(Birks, M., Chapman, Y., Davis, J. (Eds.). (2015). Professional and therapeutic
communication (1st ed.) Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press).
Chapter 27 of your recommended text
(Kozier, B., Erb, GL. (2015). Fundamentals of Nursing (Australian 3rd ed.)
Melbourne, Australia: Pearson).
And
Reserve Online
Chapter 6, pp. 64-79 - O’Toole, G. (2012). Communication: Core interpersonal skills
for health professionals. (2nd Ed.). Chatswood, Australia: Churchill Livingstone.
 Answer questions 1-4 on p.70 and questions on p. 74
 Bring to class next week
Chapter 10, pp.102-112 - Levett-Jones, T. (Ed.). (2014). Critical conversations for
patient safety: An essential guide for health professionals. Frenchs Forest, Australia:
Pearson Australia
PRACTICE YOUR REFERENCE SKILLS
Define of the following terms and use the reference guide below to help you to
practice your referencing skills. Bring to your next class.
•
Mutual Understanding
•
Self Determination
Use - Referencing Guide: http://libguides.jcu.edu.au/apa
OPTIONAL
Interpersonal Communication Skills Test
http://psychologytoday.tests.psychtests.com/take_test.php?idRegTest=3199
25 questions in 10 min
(When it comes to communication, what you say and what you don't say are equally
important. Being a good listener is quite crucial. Find out how your interpersonal skills rate
by taking this Communication Skills Test).
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SOME WISE WORDS:
During your life, you have acquired the ability to communicate with other people for
different reasons and across a variety of settings. The development of interpersonal
skills is part of a socialisation process which makes it possible to form relationships
and interact appropriately in diverse situations.
“During your journey on earth you will encounter many people and you will impact on
each individual you met along the way...even your most fleeting exchange can have
appositive or negative impact on another person. And over the span of your life, the
accumulation of all your interactions with others will determine, to a great extent, the
quality of your life”.
Fujishin (2012, p.1)
‘Establishing effective relationships is about transcending our own judgements or knee
jerk reactions and operating from a place of intentional focus where understanding the
patients thoughts, feelings and needs are at the centre of our efforts’.
(Raphael-Grimm, T., 2015, p.4).
‘Every encounter provides an opportunity for the patient (woman) to experience the
healing power of our full attention, to feel valued, cared for, respected and understood’.
(Ferrucci, 2006)
‘Without sincerity, distrust finds a foothold’.
Raphael-Grimm (2016)
“As a nurse, we have the opportunity to heal the heart, mind, soul and body of our
patients, their families and ourselves. They may not remember your name but they
will never forget the way you made them feel”.
Maya Angelou
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INSPIRATION PAGE
Have a great week!
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