The effectiveness of communication between the patients and nurses has a significant influence on healthcare delivery. Nurses communicate with the patients to assess and satisfy their needs to ensure superior care. When done effectively, it contributes to positive outcomes in patients. Therefore improving communication between them is paramount in healthcare. This paper focuses on analyzing the published research identified as the most important in enhancing communication between nurses and patients.
Clinical Question
The group work is related to communication in nursing. The clinical question seeks to study ways of improving communication among the patients and nurses and its impact on patient satisfaction. Most nurses in the critical care settings claim that poor communication between the patients and nurses threatens the efforts to ensure quality patient care results and fulfillment. There is, therefore, a need to study the ways of improving patient-nurse communication.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
This study is imperative as there was a quotation of communication challenges between the patients and the healthcare providers as the leading safety instances resulting in patient health deterioration in the health care facilities. Past studies show that 20 percent of the patients’ health worsened in line with communication hitches amongst nurses and patients (Alhassan, 2019). Effective communication is, thus, significant in critical care facilities. Research indicates that enhancing the quality of communication assists in improving interactions and satisfaction. This paper will seek to analyze the articles selected towards enhancing communication among nurses and patients.
Description of Findings: Summary
This section summarizes the findings from the sources in a table .
| Article | Reference |
Purpose Hypothesis Study Question |
Variables Independent (I) Dependent (D) |
Study Design |
Sample Size and Collection |
Data Collection Methods | Major Findings |
| 1 | Epstein, R. M., Duberstein, P. R., Fenton, J. J., Fiscella, K., Hoerger, M., Tancredi, D. J., ... & Kaesberg, P. (2017). Effect of a patient-centered communication intervention on oncologist-patient communication, quality of life, and health care utilization in advanced cancer: the VOICE randomized clinical trial. JAMA oncology , 3 (1), 92-100. | How do a combined intervention involving the oncologists, patients with advanced cancer, and caregivers promote patient-centered communication? |
D-Patient centered communication I-Combined interventions |
Randomized control trial |
38 Medical Oncologists 265 adult patients |
Questionnaires | The interventions improved patient and centered communication between the nurses and the patients |
| 2 | Alhassan M. (2019) Effect of a 2-day communication skills training on nursing and midwifery students' empathy: a randomized controlled trial. BMJ Open . | How a 2-day training on communication skills improves nursing and midwifery student's empathy for patients? |
D-Empathy to patients I-Communication skills |
Qualitative |
n=230 Sample collected from 181 nursing students and 49 midwifery students. Sample collected by randomly allowing them to pick shuffled papers with numbers in a box. |
Questionnaires | The communication training resulted in minimally improved empathy, which enhances patients' and nurses' interactions. |
Table 1: Evidence Matrix Table
Description of Findings: Description
This section describes the concepts, methods, participants, and the implications for future work.
Epstein, R. M., Duberstein, P. R., Fenton, J. J., Fiscella, K., Hoerger, M., Tancredi, D. J., ... & Kaesberg, P. (2017). Effect of a patient-centered communication intervention on oncologist-patient communication, quality of life, and health care utilization in advanced cancer: the VOICE randomized clinical trial. JAMA oncology , 3 (1), 92-100.
The article’s fundamental concept is the effects of patient-centered interactions intervention in oncology and healthcare delivery in progressive cancer. The source also discusses the impact of the intervention on shared understanding between the patients and the oncologists (Epstein et al., 2017). The study is a randomized control trial where the study participants were assigned groups. Half of them received the interventions while the rest did not. Most of the responses included personalized communication coaching using consistent patient trainers. The patients received quick questions and individualized communication training.
The research study participants included 38 oncologists and 265 adult patients with cancer. One hundred thirty patients and 19 oncologists were assigned the interventions. There was the utilization of the rest of the participants as control. The instruments used comprised of questionnaires, where participants were required to fill all the questions provided to ensure reliable results (Epstein et al., 2017). Additionally, there was the conduction of institutional review board approval regarding the sites to enhance the validity of the results. The study concluded that an integrated intervention involving oncologist communication training and coaching patients for improving communication was effective in improving patient and oncologists’ communication. The review answers the research question; thus, it is relevant for the research topic. It discusses ways of enhancing communication and its effect. The implications for future work include research on whether communication interventions have a secondary outcome. The initial study shows that there is an improvement in patient-oncologists communication; therefore, there should be a further investigation to determine whether the interventions lead to more results.
Alhassan M. (2019) Effect of a 2-day communication skills training on nursing and midwifery students' empathy: a randomized controlled trial. BMJ Open .
The fundamental concept of the study is the effects of conducting communication proficiency coaching on the nursing and the midwifery learners on their empathy to improve their interactions with the patients. It investigates the impact of carrying out two-day training. A randomized control trial that involved a qualitative study was used (Alhassan, 2019). There was the conduction of an outcome test then a follow-up test done after six months. There was an engagement of 230 participants comprising of 181 nursing students and 49 midwifery students. Questionnaires were used for the study. However, the authors do not discuss the validity and dependability of the results.
The article provides evidence for the paper. Communication skill training involves the techniques through which the nurses may enhance their communication with the nurses. The implication for further study shows that there is a need for another research to determine the impact of more extended communication skills coaching for the nurses and midwifery students to help in improving communication (Alhassan, 2019). There is also a need to do a repeat study.
The next step will involve appraising the acquired evidence in the research topic. Additionally, there should be an application of findings of the study in responding to the research question. In guiding the group's work, the relevant queries consist of how the selected sources satisfy the research topic (Parker, Grundy, & Bero, 2018) . It also includes whether the evidence provided is relevant to the research topic and its applicability in a real-life scenario.
Conclusion
According to the articles, patient and nurse communication is fundamental in ensuring the recovery of the patients. Healthy communication is, thus, imperative in acute care facilities. Effective communication intervention enhances patient-nurses communication and patient-centered communication. Training of both nurses and patients regarding communication has a positive impact on healthcare delivery. Ways to improve communication include doing hourly rounds consistently, bedside shift reports, and developing empathy to enhance patient and nurse interactions. However, it requires support, focus, and delivery to promote a shared understanding among those involved in improving communication among the patients and nurses.
References
Alhassan M. (2019) Effect of a 2-day communication skills training on nursing and midwifery students' empathy: a randomized controlled trial. BMJ Open . 2019;9(3):e023666. Retrieved from doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023666
Epstein, R. M., Duberstein, P. R., Fenton, J. J., Fiscella, K., Hoerger, M., Tancredi, D. J., ... & Kaesberg, P. (2017). Effect of a patient-centered communication intervention on oncologist-patient communication, quality of life, and health care utilization in advanced cancer: the VOICE randomized clinical trial. JAMA oncology , 3 (1), 92-100. Retrieved from DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2016.4373
Parker, L., Grundy, Q., & Bero, L. (2018). Interpreting evidence in general practice: Bias and conflicts of interest. Australian Journal of general practice , 47 (6), 337. Retrieved from https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=622520327771924;res=IELHEA
