Communication in Nursing: 12 Essential Skills

A registered nurse works with fellow nurses and professionals at all levels of a health care organization. Effective communication, within teams and with patients, can lead to enhanced care, which may help deliver improved outcomes. Soft skills such as communication may get less attention than technical abilities, but they help professionals succeed in challenging health care environments.

However, good communication isn't an inherent skill. Nurses can build and deepen their communication skills through continued professional development — whether on-the-job training or in a nursing degree program. In this article, we'll explore the importance of communication in nursing and 12 essential communication skills for this field.

Why Is Effective Communication Essential in Nursing?

According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), nurses must be as skilled in communication as they are clinically. The AACN lists skilled communication as one of the elements that make up a healthy work environment for nurses, stating that "skilled communication can save lives."

There are two major principles behind effective communication in nursing:

Communicating With Patients Is Part of a Nurse's Core Duties

A nurse can be the first point of contact between a health care organization and a patient. Research explains that "effective communication between patients and health care providers is crucial for the provision of patient care and recovery." Nurses' ability to communicate clearly with patients can yield information necessary for more effective treatments. It can also improve patients' perception of the quality of care they receive.

Clear Information Sharing Between Colleagues Is Essential

Pulmonology Advisor explains that members of care teams must always communicate clearly and preferably through a number of methods. A combination of verbal and written communication is ideal to keep colleagues informed about patients' conditions and needs. Clear, documented information could lead to timely interventions.

Megan Bivens, DNP, faculty member at the Purdue Global School of Nursing, says nurses rely on many of the same skills when communicating with their colleagues and connecting with patients. She acknowledges the importance of the various aspects of communication prevalent in health care settings.

12 Top Communication Skills in Nursing

Nurses eager to improve their performance and effectiveness can focus on communication as part of their ongoing personal and professional development. Here are 12 skills to consider:

1. Written Communication

Nurses must convey facts in written form accurately to make sure their colleagues know and understand all the relevant details regarding a specific patient. This can benefit patients' loved ones as well. American Journal of Critical Care research shows nurses’ written communication helps family members understand and retain information about a patient's condition.

Another important aspect of nurse communication involves entering information into electronic health records (EHRs). Bivens notes gaps in good written communication could have legal implications. Failure to create comprehensive records can result in compliance problems for medical organizations, potentially leading to fines and other penalties.

2. Verbal Communication

In some cases, verbal skills take precedence. Nurses must express themselves clearly when speaking. This applies to conveying information to colleagues and sharing important diagnostic information with patients and family members unfamiliar with technical medical terms.

Verbal communication skills include a nurse's tone of voice and word choice. Bivens explains that when speaking with patients, nurses must show respect and care. Their ability to address people in an empathetic way can shape the patient experience.

The British Journal of Nursing offers a case study in which a nurse used effective communication to help a patient be more open about her condition. This conversation led to a realization that it had been years since the patient's analgesia had been reviewed. The result was additional care options and a stronger bond between nurse and patient.

3. Nonverbal Communication

Communication also includes body language and facial expressions. Nurses should be mindful of involuntary facial cues or body language and work to control them. They can also intentionally use gestures, such as a gentle pat on the back or a handshake, to build rapport and show empathy.

4. Technology Use

With so much information transmitted and stored digitally, tech aptitude can shape a nurse's effectiveness at communicating with peers and completing daily tasks. This means nurses must keep up with new technologies. When busy care workers aren't able to speak directly, EHRs communicate for them, providing comprehensive information on patient conditions.

In addition to the central EHR systems that store patient information, Bivens says nurses need to master medication management systems, robotic tools, and bedside diagnostic tests. Each of these provides more information and context, boosting communication among teams. Telehealth and remote communication solutions are also important for care providers, as the rise in remote diagnostics that accelerated during the COVID-19 closures continues.

5. Active Listening

Active listening is a crucial nursing skill because nurses rely on conversations with patients to gather information that can lead to better care. A report on the role of active listening in clinical settings highlights that medical professionals may underestimate how difficult it may be to take in information accurately and completely.

The report adds that to become more effective listeners, clinical workers can:

• Listen for the intended meaning rather than hearing what they expect to hear
• Ask for clarification when necessary
• Keep the conversation on a single topic
• Hear full points before responding

6. Compassion

A compassionate attitude underlies many forms of nurse communication with patients and colleagues. Bivens calls it a "core tenet in nursing practice." She highlights how it helps patients feel more free to share information, which enables them to receive appropriate, comprehensive patient care.

Compassion in health care is described as “an emotional response that seeks to promote the well-being of patients by following logical actions to find a way to eliminate their distress. It can be conceived as the willingness to understand the pain of another person.” A culture of compassion can help improve both patient outcomes and the connection between health care colleagues.

7. Patient Education

Autonomy is a key concept in nursing. In part, this means patients have a say in their care. Nurses and patients can work together to create a mutually agreeable treatment plan when nurses are adept at educating patients and their families.

As Diversity Nursing explains, delivering patient education that meets requirements means shifting teaching methods to suit the situation. Sometimes verbally talking through a concept is ideal. In other cases, a demonstration or a written resource may be the best option. An optimal approach to patient education is to let the patient engage in self-management skills, which can entail administering medication, caring for wounds, and keeping track of symptoms — all while guided and coached by the nurse.

8. Relationship Building

Effective communication helps create a solid nurse-patient relationship. Bivens notes that attentiveness, demonstrations of respect, and well-thought-out questions are important to relationship building. Nurses who are aware of their patients' cultural needs and can display compassion are also well-positioned to establish meaningful connections.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) notes that a patient-centric mindset is key to building a therapeutic relationship. This can mean including patients in decision-making for their care plans. The relationship becomes collaborative, with patients as participants — not just treatment recipients.

9. Presentation Skills

Nurses may lead meetings and present information to their colleagues. Bivens explains that nurses don't give presentations every day, but when they must deliver information in a formal setting, they have to rely on a few specific abilities.

These skills include effective writing and tech aptitude with software such as PowerPoint. A good presentation features a mix of written, visual, and spoken communication. Common settings where nurses may give presentations include peer education sessions and team briefings on patient care requirements.

10. Cultural Awareness

Rising interest in transcultural nursing shows the impact of a globalizing world and increasingly diverse populations. Nurses who can offer culturally sensitive care may be able to help patients in appropriate, respectful, and effective ways.

Journal of Professional Nursing research states that becoming more culturally savvy is an important step in valuing the views, morals, ethics, beliefs, and preferences of people from backgrounds different than the nurse's own. Nurse leader groups from various groups can collaborate on educational programs to help build the necessary competencies.

One important component of culturally aware patient care is remembering that cultural factors are only one side of a patient's identity. Bivens emphasizes that nurses must understand each person individually and combine that knowledge with the interaction's context.

11. Ability to Inspire Trust

Trust is a cornerstone of productive patient relationships, according to the ANA. When patients trust their nurses, they're more likely to disclose information necessary for accurate diagnoses. Even when patients don't understand the nature of their conditions, the information they share is important for nurses to treat them.

The ANA says key to earning this trust is active listening, having a non-judgmental attitude, and spending time with patients. People who feel respected are likely to trust a care provider more readily. This bond could lead to positive outcomes, such as patients being more willing to accept a treatment plan.

12. Conflict Resolution

Conflict and interpersonal friction are inevitable in nursing. How individuals deal with these incidents dictates their success. The ANA offers examples of friction that can emerge in nursing settings, including:

• Conflict around practical workload and scheduling matters
• Treatment plan disagreements between care providers from different disciplines
• Ethical conflicts concerning topics such as patient autonomy and end-of-life care
• Misunderstandings due to a lack of information
• Lack of clarity about roles and distribution of responsibilities
• Challenges based on insufficient resources or clashing management styles

Bivens states that a lack of conflict resolution skills may lead to delays and dead-ends in nurses' daily activities. To overcome conflict, nurses may rely on a combination of other skills, including:

• Active listening
• Openness
• Compromise

How to Overcome Communication Barriers in Nursing

Good communication in health care isn't automatic. Breakdowns can occur, especially when colleagues don’t collaborate effectively.

Bivens suggests the following ways nurses can proactively improve communication:

• Identify where the breakdown is occurring.
• Determine root causes and why departments or individuals can't communicate effectively.
• Address issues through a combination of skills, such as conflict resolution and active listening.
• Solicit feedback about their own communication styles and performances, and remain open to change in response.

Organizations' Role in Promoting Nursing Communication Skills

When the staff at a hospital or other care facility lacks communication aptitude, fixing the problem can benefit everyone involved. HealthStream warns that poor communication among nurses can negatively affect:

• Quality of care
• Patient safety
• Patient satisfaction
• Overall patient outcomes
• Staff satisfaction

Organizations can take a direct approach to developing effective communication skills. This could prevent breakdowns in care, undue stress in the workplace, and other potentially harmful consequences. Bivens explains that facilities can adjust their training and education programs to feature interpersonal skills.

Develop Your Nursing Communication Skills With Purdue Global

By enrolling in a bachelor's or master's nursing degree program, a registered nurse can gain additional experience with general and technical communication abilities. These include conveying information effectively via EHR systems, displaying cultural sensitivity, asking effective questions, and more.

Purdue Global's programs include an online RN-to-BSN degree program, Master of Science in Nursing, postgraduate certificate programs, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice. All coursework is designed to accommodate a registered nurse’s busy schedule. Learn more about Purdue Global’s online nursing degree programs, and request more information today.

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