Communication in Nursing Practice Essay Example

Communication in Nursing Practice Essay Example Communication in Nursing Practice Essay Communication in Nursing Practice Essay In order to fully discuss effective communication in nursing practice, one first should define communication. As stated in the business directory, communication is â€Å" the two way process of reaching mutual understanding, in which participants not only exchange (encode – decode) information but create and share meaning. â€Å" (www. thebusinessdirectory. com : Nov 25th). Or as in the free dictionary, â€Å"The exchange of thoughts, messages or information by speech, signals, writing or behaviour. † (www. thefreedictionary. com : Nov 25th). As is portrayed in both of these definitions, communication can come in many different forms. Communication is not only verbal. To communicate effectively in the practical setting we must explore all types of communication and in this essay the author will try to demonstrate differing ways of communication, not only with patients but with colleagues, consultants and other persons that enter your domain. VERBAL COMMUNICATION. The majority of our communication is through the medium of speech therefore verbal communication underpins everything we do in everyday life. How we hone our techniques to achieve effective communication in the clinical setting is down to the individual and of course practice. Almost everyone can communicate but it’s the effectiveness of the communication that counts. Bad communication skills can wipe out any good verbal skills in a matter of seconds. How we talk to people needs to be understandable, concise, jargon free but mostly easy for the patient to interpret. We all have some communication skills to bring into practice with us and we can exchange skills whilst going about everyday hospital life. One doesn’t need to be a specialist AE nurse to be able to comfort a distressed relative. Initially, the ability to talk can be difficult and sometimes daunting but the more we practice the better we become. Verbal communication is not just about speech. The tone of voice and the choice of words are very important also. A harsh tone of voice in a sensitive situation would not be at all appropriate. Using technical jargon is also inadvisable. The patient needs to be able to fully understand what they are being told. The simpler the language the better.