Concepts of Nursing
NUR 123
COMMUNICATION in Nursing
COMMUNICATION

The sending and receiving of a message.
Aspects of Communication (i)

Sender - the one who conveys the
message to another person.

Message - the thought, idea, or emotion
conveyed.

Channel - how the message is sent.
Aspects of Communication (ii)

Receiver - physiological/ psychological
components.

Feedback - the receiver’s response to
the sender.

Influences - Culture, education,
emotions and other factors involved.
Methods of Communication

Verbal - Speaking, Listening, Writing,
Reading.

Nonverbal - Gestures, Facial
Expressions, Posture and Gait, Tone of
Voice, Touch, Eye Contact, Body
Position, Physical Appearance.
Influences on Communication

Age

Language

Education

Attention

Emotions

Surroundings

Culture
Congruency of Messages
 Verbal and nonverbal communication
must be congruent, or in agreement.
Listening and Observing
 Listening and observing are two of the
most valuable skills a nurse can have.
 These two skills are used to gather the
subjective and objective data for the
nursing assessment.
Active Listening
 The process of hearing spoken words
and noting nonverbal behavior.
 Active listening takes energy and
concentration.
Therapeutic Communication
 Sometimes called effective
communication, it is purposeful and
goal-oriented, creating a beneficial
outcome for the client.
Goals of Therapeutic Communication

To obtain or provide information

To develop trust

To show caring

To explore feelings
Enhancing Communication

Self-Disclosure.

Caring.

Genuineness.

Warmth.

Active Listening.

Empathy (the capacity to understand another’s feelings).

Acceptance and respect.
Communication Techniques

Clarifying/validating.

Asking open questions.

Using indirect statements.

Paraphrasing.

Summarizing.

Focusing.
Barriers Communication

Closed questions.

False reassurance.

Judgmental responses.

Defensive reflex.

Changing the subject.
Nurse-Client Communication

Almost every nurse-client interaction
should involve therapeutic
communication.

Nurse-client communication is
influenced by both the nurse and the
client.
Three Phases of Nurse-Client Communication

Introduction: Fairly short; expectations clarified; mutual
goals set

Working: Major portion of the interaction; used to
accomplish goals outlined in introduction; feedback from
client essential.

Termination: Nurse asks if client has questions;
summarizing the topic is another way to indicate
closure.
Determinant Factors in Communication
A nurse’s communication is affected by:

Past Experience
 State of Health
 Home Situation
 Workload
 Staff Relations
Determinant Factors in Communication
A client’s communication is affected by:

Social Factors
 Religion
 Family Situation
 Level of Consciousness
 Stage of Illness
 Visual, Hearing and Speech Ability
 Language Proficiency