Abstract:
This study examines communication skills in the nurse–patient communication
process through interdisciplinary data from the nurse and communication fields. The call
for improved communication competency over the last 20 years, and the low rate of skill
retention from remedial on-the-job communication workshops, confirm the need for
improved communication training at the educational level. Research substantiates
improved patient outcomes and patient satisfaction when relational communication is
utilized in the nurse–patient relationship. Problems in creating an effective healthcare
communication course are the absence of a theoretical framework and a multitude of
definitions describing communication concepts and skills.
Community colleges educate over 60% of the nation‘s nurse and allied health
professionals, yet few Virginia community college nurse or allied programs require a
communication course. Communication training is provided within clinical courses and
frequently utilizes a task-oriented approach. Findings show an interrelationship between
conceptualized behaviors, such as therapeutic behaviors and interpersonal skill behaviors,
within relational communication that is not apparent in task-oriented communication
training. A model healthcare relational communication course was designed to fill the
gap between education and practice for communication competence for nurse and allied
health students. The model‘s framework is communication relational theory, which
includes both conceptual behaviors and multidimensional interpersonal skill behaviors.
