Communication Skills for Nurses

Survive placements and practice with this essential guide for all student nurses.

Providing words of wisdom and advice from real-life student nurses, Communication Skills for Nurses is a handy, portable, and fun introduction to the key communication and interpersonal skills you’ll need on placement and as a registered nurse.

Special features:

• Developed by students, for students
• Clear, straightforward, and jargon-free
• Explains how to use your interpersonal skills effectively, communicate with patients with specific conditions, and handle both criticisms and compliments
• Features tips and advice from real life nursing students
• Examples and questions based on real life nursing and healthcare situations

Claire Boyd is a Practice Development Trainer at North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK

Janet Dare is a Practice Development Teacher at North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK

PREFACE vii

INTRODUCTION ix

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xiii

1 MODELS OF COMMUNICATION 1
by Claire Boyd and Janet Dare

2 TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS 9
by Claire Boyd and Janet Dare

3 METHODS OF COMMUNICATION 19
by Claire Boyd

4 PRESENTING YOURSELF AND YOUR ORGANISATION 41
by Janet Dare, edited by Claire Boyd

5 INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 47
by Janet Dare, edited by Claire Boyd

6 TEAM WORK AND THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM 55
by Janet Dare, edited by Claire Boyd

7 COMMUNICATION BARRIERS 61
by Janet Dare, edited by Claire Boyd

8 ACTIVE LISTENING 71
by Claire Boyd

9 ADMITTING PATIENTS 81
by Claire Boyd

10 SITUATION, BACKGROUND, ASSESSMENT, RESPONSE (SBAR) 105
by Claire Boyd

11 DOCUMENTATION 119
by Claire Boyd

12 MANAGING CRITICISM AND COMPLIMENTS 143
by Claire Boyd

13 COMMUNICATION SCENARIOS 159
by Janet Dare, edited by Claire Boyd

14 CARE AND COMPASSION IN NURSING 165
by Claire Boyd

ANSWERS TO ACTIVITIES AND TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE 175

INDEX 187

APPENDICES (SEE END OF CHAPTERS LISTED)

APPENDIX 1 HOSPITAL ADMISSION DOCUMENTATION (SEE CHAPTER 9) 93

APPENDIX 2 THE BRISTOL OBSERVATION CHART (SEE CHAPTER 10) 115

APPENDIX 3 OBSERVATION INFORMATION SHEET (SEE CHAPTER 10) 116

APPENDIX 4A AN SBAR PROMPT SHEET (SEE CHAPTER 10) 117

APPENDIX 4B THE SBAR COMMUNICATION TOOL IN POSTER FORMAT (SEE CHAPTER 10) 118

APPENDIX 5 CATHETERISATION CARE PLAN DOCUMENTATION (SEE CHAPTER 11) 126

APPENDIX 6 INTENTIONAL ROUNDING CHECKLIST TOOL FOR FALLS (SEE CHAPTER 11) 128

APPENDIX 7 FALLS RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL (SEE CHAPTER 11) 130

APPENDIX 8 ADULT PATIENT BEDRAIL RISK ASSESSMENT (SEE CHAPTER 11) 131

APPENDIX 9 DAILY PRESSURE ULCER RISK ASSESSMENT TOOL (SEE CHAPTER 11) 132

APPENDIX 10 REVISED VTE RISK ASSESSMENT AUDIT GUIDE (SEE CHAPTER 11) 136

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