Nurse Patient Communication

According to the article, “Nurse-Patient Communication Barriers in Iranian Nursing” (Anoosheh et al, 2009) communication is one of the basic social needs of human beings. This article is the description of a study done to better understand the barriers that inhibit nurse-patient communication. Communication is critical in the nursing profession and can be considered a main aspect of nursing care.
Patients and families count on nurses to keep them informed, help them feel connected to their physicians and other caregivers, to listen to them, to ease their anxiety, and to protect and watch over them during their healthcare experience. However, many studies (Anoosheh et al. 2009) have shown poor results in the quality of nurse –patient communication. There is the risk that nurses can become focused on tasks, physiological needs of the patient and time management at the expense of psychological needs.
I am a firm believer that the psychological aspect of human beings can directly influence our physical state. I agree with the statement in the article that communication can be, “an essential part of nursing care but also as a treatment by itself” (Anoosheh et al. 2009). As I give care in my nursing practice I can improve communication by confirming patient feelings by asking questions such as, “How are you feeling today? ” or “How do you feel about your upcoming procedure? ”.

To help patients know what to expect I can explain what care I will be performing, how long it will take and what their role may be. Another aspect that is necessary for quality patient care is collaborating with the patient by asking questions like, “What can we do better? ” and, “How is the treatment working? ” These patient centered questions can get patients talking about their thoughts and feelings. With a positive nurse patient relationship, there can be patient and family satisfaction and an environment that supports healing.