2.8 Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Strong communication skills are crucial for providing safe, high-quality, patient-centered care.
- Effective communication is one of the Standards of Professional Performance set by the American Nurses Association.
- Verbal communication involves exchanging information using words that are understood by the recipient in a manner that conveys professional care and respect. Nonverbal communication includes body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and conversational pace.
- Nurses should be mindful of common communication barriers and work to diminish their impact by actively seeking feedback and confirming understanding.
- Therapeutic communication techniques used by nurses emphasize the importance of nurturing trusting relationships with patients and acknowledging the therapeutic benefits of the nurse’s presence.
- Nurses should be familiar with recommended terminology to enhance inclusivity and respect in health care language, and these recommendations can enhance nursing care.
- When interacting with patients, their friends, family members, and other health care team members, it is essential for nurses to uphold patient confidentiality.
