The profession of a nurse is primarily reliant on verbal and written communication. As a
result of this, interactions between therapists and their patients can either improve or deteriorate.
As of the time of this writing (Younas and Maddigan (2019, p. 1622). Everything comes down to
perspective at the end of the day. Aspects of the package include: attentive listening and
presence. As a result, it constitutes a significant portion of the work of nurses.
Everyone has their own unique style of relating to the world in which they live. It's possible
that you've noticed that the way you speak with close friends and family differs dramatically from
the way you communicate with total strangers. Every day, the vast majority of people engage in
some form of communication, and communication is critical in the workplace. At its most
fundamental level, communication is just the transfer of information from one location to another.
However, regardless of how you communicate with one another, it is critical that you do it in a
respectful and direct manner at all times.
In order to carry out their responsibilities, nurses must be competent communicators.
According to Kirca and Bademli (2019, p. 629), therapeutic communication is extremely
important in the treatment of patients. According to Long, effective communication requires a
range of talents, including the ability to pay attention and comprehend what is being said, as well
as the willingness to be entirely honest about oneself. It's important to keep in mind that, despite
the benefits of communication, it can also lead to a loss of trust between therapists and patients. A
constant in healthcare communication may be seen to be the dynamic, ever-shifting process of
transformation that occurs. Patients' ability to interact successfully with the healthcare provider is
essential for them to be effective in their roles. If the nurse wants to achieve this goal, she must
Nursing reflection on patient communication 3
take a holistic strategy and proceed in an organized fashion in order to establish a therapeutic
relationship with her patient.
According to Kirca and Bademli (2019, p. 628), one of the most crucial leadership abilities
in nursing is the ability to communicate effectively with others. Professional and personal benefits
can be gained by nurses who are effective communicators, whether they are communicating with
themselves or with others (such as patients, their families, or other healthcare professionals). Even
though ineffective communication can cause problems for both nurses and patients, efficient
communication saves time and helps to ensure that nurses are able to provide the appropriate
information. Nursing students and new graduates must pay close attention and absorb as much
information as they can from the patient's family and other healthcare experts if they intend to save
the life of their patient.
According to Bullington et al. (2019, 140), a lack of effective communication is at the
foundation of many complaints from patients. Almost one-third of all complaints to the Health
Service Commissioner were related to interactions with nursing personnel or their agents. A study
by Kim et al. (2018, p. 6) found that patients who had good contact with their doctors and nurses
had shorter hospital stays and longer recovery times. As a result, effective communication might
result in cost savings.
Transparency and nuance abound in the communication of health-care information. In
order for knowledge to be meaningful, it must be shared back and forth between the nurse and
the patient. According to Bullington et al. (2019, p. 139), the most common reason for patient
discontent is a lack of effective communication. Further research has revealed that patients'
recovery rates are accelerated when they get timely and equitable communication. The author
has written a book (Kim et al., 2018, p. 5). As seen by this example, efficient nursing
Nursing reflection on patient communication 4
communication is both cost-effective and vital. As a framework for introspection, I employ
Gibbs' reflective cycle as a starting point.
Case description
In addition to my regular interactions with patients at various stages of the disease, I was
exposed to a varied range of people while working as a nurse on a cancer ward for female cancer
patients. In the course of my ward visits, I came across a patient who was having trouble
conversing with me. As part of my efforts to adhere to the National Medical Council's code of
conduct (Kim et al., 2018, p. 3), the patient, whose true identity would not be revealed, was put
to the test in order to assess my communication and critical-thinking skills. Because of her desire
to remain anonymous, I'll refer to her as Tina for the time being. On the other hand, a 40-year-
old woman was just diagnosed with stage two throat cancer, according to her doctor. Her life
expectancy is barely 5 years, which is quite short. While sitting alone in her bed on this
particular day, Tina appeared unsettled and restless, which was not unusual given her state of
mind. A procedure was scheduled for her, therefore she had been admitted to the hospital in
preparation for it. Tina was unable to walk on her own for lengthy periods of time because she
was unable to lift her neck or head in order to avoid pain (Rønning and Bjørkly, 2019, p. 415).
Then, because she appeared lonely due to her physical limitations, I volunteered to go fetch a cup
of porridge and stay with her. She agreed to accept my proposal. The program accepted me.
Tina was unable to walk on her own for lengthy periods of time because she was unable
to lift her neck or head in order to avoid pain. Then, because she appeared lonely due to her
physical limitations, I volunteered to go fetch a cup of porridge and stay with her. She agreed to
accept my proposal. The program accepted me. I spoke slowly and softly, using simple words
and phrases, and I spoke in short sentences so that I wouldn't be heard above the din of
Nursing reflection on patient communication 5
conversation. Still, I'm not sure whether she comprehended what I was saying because she
seemed to lose track of time during our conversation and may have forgiven me for my several
blunders. "I'm starving," she shouted at one point during the conversation. "I'd appreciate it if
you could bring me some oatmeal." I'm more interested in finding out if my own children have
eaten anything today than in anything else. In part as a result of the fact that I have such small
children, the mere thought of them makes me depressed." She then went on to describe the
difficulties she had encountered as well as the obstacles she had to overcome in order to
complete her mission. At times, I was overcome with empathy for her story of disease, which
had shattered a once-prosperous life and left her family destitute because of her illness. I was
overcome with emotion by her words. I was able to empathize with her plight and sympathize
with her pain.
According to Appelgren et al (2018, p. 17), listening and comprehending are two
processes that are connected with one another. When it came to her refusal to swallow the
oatmeal that had been served to her, Tina was unyielding. In her admission, she stated that she
had given up and that she did not see the point in continuing to eat. Being that she was suffering
from a terminal illness while continuing to live a regular life during her treatment, I stressed to
her the importance of eating in order to gain the energy and nourishment she needed in order to
survive. She, on the other hand, was unable to get her hands on any of the items listed above.
Because of my inability to persuade her to accept the position of caretaker, the irritation and
remorse I was feeling at the time were intensified. Due to my exhaustion, I was compelled to
direct the cup of porridge straight into her mouth. When I discovered I had violated the code of
behavior at the National Medical Center, I apologized profusely. Afterwards, I brought it up to
the in-charge nurse, who gave me the direction I needed. While working as a nurse, my ability to
Nursing reflection on patient communication 6
communicate effectively was put to the test. Meanwhile, I dialed her husband's phone number
and spoke with him about the well-being of their children and his insurance company's
willingness to cover her hospital charges at the same time I was chatting with her. Her decision
to try their oatmeal was prompted by the chat, and she claimed that she felt a little better as a
result of it. Critical thinking is essential in nursing work, as Tina's meeting with the nurse
illustrates to the best of her ability.
Evaluation
Tina was in desperate need of support and reassurance at the time, and I was able to
provide it despite my sorrow for having yelled at her earlier in the evening. Blake was overjoyed
and delighted when I was successful in developing and maintaining a therapeutic nurse-patient
connection, thanks to my efforts (Kim et al., 2018, p.4). While I'm sorry for the way I handled
her, it was important to me that I apologized, dealt with her delicately, and interacted
compassionately with her since I supported her in completing chores she couldn't finish on her
own and also provided her with assurance and hope. I'm quite grateful for your assistance. The
nurse in me had a responsibility to make her feel comfortable and secure in her circumstances,
and I did just that. My capacity to think critically was enhanced during the communication
challenge, which was a valuable learning experience for me.
Following our meeting, I was able to put my critical thinking abilities to use throughout
our discussion, which was a great help. Nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and hand
gestures were employed to assist her in comprehending what I was saying when I was explaining
things to her. The use of gestures can be an exceptionally powerful method of conveying one's
thoughts and influencing the conduct of others for those who are limited in their capacity to
Nursing reflection on patient communication 7
communicate orally (Lotfi et al., 2019, p. 1192). As a result of our talk, I was able to help her
with her therapy and emphasize the need of following her prescription instructions.
Analysis
I came to the conclusion that nurses, even when things get out of hand, should retain the
highest levels of professional ethics and conduct in the aftermath of that occurrence. She was
able to provide outstanding patient care because she was able to speak clearly and critically
about the situation. When nurses use critical thinking and communication skills when making
judgments and dealing with patients' issues, they can enhance patient outcomes. My facial
expressions were able to relax and calm Tina far more effectively than simply conversing with
her, and her nursing care taught me the importance of nonverbal communication. After a few
more pats and stroking’s, she was a little more relaxed. Upon reviewing the findings, I came to
the conclusion that building relationships with patients' families has a beneficial impact on their
well-being, as well as the quality of their nursing care and the outcomes they achieve (Appelgren
et al., 2018, p. 16). I had the opportunity to put into practice the five components of effective
communication during my encounter with Tina, on the other hand, which included the sender,
the message, the channel, the receiver, and the feedback loop. Alternatively, going through the
scenario a second time made me realize how important communication is in the nurse-patient
connection.
Conclusion
Finally, taking the time to reflect on one's own experiences may help one realize how
important it is to continually improve one's communication abilities over one's lifetime. While
reflecting, it is beneficial to organize your thoughts and ideas using Gibbs' reflective cycle
framework to keep them organized. An important tool for learning and assessing one's own
Nursing reflection on patient communication 8
abilities and weaknesses, it is also a must-have. The capacity of a nurse to communicate
successfully with her patients as well as with their families is a vital component of her job
responsibility. You must constantly strive to enhance your communication skills if you want to
be a successful nurse.
Recommendations
My capacity to speak and think critically will improve with each new patient, which I
will have the opportunity to practice on. I'll make certain that I'm well-prepared to cope with
hard situations by being open and honest with my patients and by employing critical thinking
techniques. Only open and honest dialogue between the patient and the nurse can unlock the
cornerstone of patient-nurse interactions. It is also vital to eliminate communication barriers that
may be preventing patients from receiving proper care.
Nursing reflection on patient communication 9
References
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Communication skills in nursing: A phenomenologically-based communication training
approach. Nurse Education in Practice, 39, pp.136-141.
Kim, Y.H., Min, J., Kim, S.H. and Shin, S., 2018. Effects of a work-based critical reflection
program for novice nurses. BMC medical education, 18(1), pp.1-6.
Kirca, N. and Bademli, K., 2019. Relationship between communication skills and care behaviors
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