A Reflective Essay on Interpersonal Communication Skills in Nursing

This reflective essay examines the critical role of interpersonal communication skills within the healthcare industry, specifically focusing on the perspective of a nurse. It highlights the significance of effective communication in patient care and satisfaction, while also acknowledging common barriers such as lack of self-confidence and issues related to perception. The essay details the author's personal journey in improving communication abilities, including the use of observation, feedback, and self-assessment techniques. It also explores the impact of both verbal and nonverbal communication, emphasizing the need for clear, concise oral presentations and the importance of addressing patient concerns. Strategies for improvement, such as participating in social activities and using mirror practice to build confidence, are discussed. The essay concludes by reinforcing the vital connection between effective communication and enhanced healthcare services, offering practical suggestions for healthcare professionals to improve patient interactions and overall care delivery.

Reflective
Essay:Interpersonal
communication

Essay
The aim of the study is to have focus on interpersonal communication skills. The report has
emphasized on the importance of communication skills and some common barriers to effective
communication skills. The objective of the assignment is to develop the understanding about various
skills verbal and nonverbal communication abilities that are required in hospital industry.
Interpersonal communication refers to the skills used by person to interact with others.
Interpersonal Communication plays very significant role in healthcare industry. The method of oral
communication used by nursing staff in hospital have direct impact on customers in hospital (Moss,
2017).
I considered that interpersonal communication skills in healthcare industry can be developed
through observation, feedback, questioning, listening, identifying and removing barriers. Being a nurse
it is important for me to develop effective communications skills, during treatment I will be interacting
with number of patients.
I am still trying to improve my interpersonal communication skills. During starting of my career
as a nurse I was always been criticised due to my poor communication skills. Due to lack of
interpersonal communication skills there was barrier in my career growth. I had analysed the need of
effective communication skills in order to enhance career growth. I decided to improve my
communication skills. Through my initiatives I have made lot of improvement in interpersonal
communication skills but still I am facing issues related to dealing with perception and self-image.
During my job in health care organisation I got opportunity to participate in discussion related to
hospital industry and issues faced by patients. I started developing thoughts about the topic and was
feeling little nervous due to lack of confidence in me. I accept that I have number of strong skills but
self-confidence and perception are two factors that are to be improved. I have perception that when I
will be speaking in group what the other person will think about me, whether I will be able to express
my views in effective manner or not etc.
I can consider following elements while giving speech in group. First I will be using use easily
and simple language to make understand my views and ideas about framing strategy for solving various
healthcare related issues and improving health care services. During giving oral speech I will be
focussing on the main aspect of the topic that is health care services and hospital industry. First of all
before starting my oral presentation I am going to include the brief detail about the topic, importance of
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discussing about various health care issues and need of enhancing services. I had analysed that I can use
various illustrations for explaining the influence of health care issues patients. Being a nurse I will be
suggesting various effective measures to improve hospital related services by providing various data
related to problems faced by patients while their stay in hospital . During the group discussion about the
issues I will be presenting customer feedbacks and complains as an evidence of various information
provided by me. I had identified that I can use various pictures, graph and chart for presenting numerical
data. I could focus on giving complete, accurate information in summarise form in order to avoid
lengthy oral presentation. I had analysed from my previous experiences of oral presentation that long
oral presentation develops lack of interest in audience. On the other hand short oral presentation not
only generates interest of listening in audience but also leaves good impression on listener ( Stott, 2017).
Short presentation helps in explaining the concept of healthcare services and problems of patients in
effective way. At the end of my oral presentation I am going to include conclusion that will be
highlighting the major issues related to industry and big problems faced by majority of patients. I had
identifies so measures and techniques that can be used by hospital for resolving heath care issues and
will assist heath care organisation in enhancing their health care services. After ending my oral
presentation I can ask audience to provide their feedback regarding presentation. Using this feedback I
am going take initiative to improve my oral presentation skills. The other method suggested by one of
my group member is that I can stand in front of mirror and seeing in mirror and giving speech can assist
me in building self confidence in me and it will help in enhancing my interpersonal communication
skills (Waterhouse, Burton and Neal, 2017).
Being a nurse it is my duty and responsibility to provide care to patients in hospital. I consider
that patient in hospital does not get satisfied with services and facilities provided by nursing staff. I had
analysed that nursing staff behaviour and communication skills have direct impact on patient
satisfaction. I had observed that when it has been demonstrated by hospital staff that they are concern
about problems faced by patient and they are finding various solution to such issues, such words provide
great satisfaction to patients. I believe that words have more power than actions.
I faced issue in demonstrating my concern, views about other person. For instance if I want to
help someone in one or other matter I feel hesitated in expressing my willingness to help that person. In
order to express my willingness I think that I have to be more interactive with others. For enhancing my
inter personnel skills I have to participate as much as in social actives carried by heath care activities
such as medical campaign, training programmes, tours etc. In addition to above strategy the other
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method that I am going to use is self-assessment technique. I will be using time as the base and I can
establish standard for measuring my improvement in communication skills. These strategies used for
improving communication skills will assist me in providing metal as well as services related
satisfaction to patients. Using this effectiveness communication skills I can demonstrate my concern
about other person.
The project on interpersonal communication skills has concluded that communication skills
plays vital role in health care industry. The importance and impact of communication skills on patients
have been proved. Two situation are being used in assignment in order to suggest various method can be
used by medical staff which will help them in developing effective communication skills.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journal
Morreale, S. P., Valenzano, J. M. and Bauer, J. A., 2017. Why communication education is important: A
third study on the centrality of the discipline’s content and pedagogy. Communication
Education. 66(4). pp.402-422.
Moss, B., 2017. Communication skills in health and social care. Sage.
Stott, D. L., 2017. The human element of giving and receiving feedback. Journal of Perioperative
Practice. 27(5). pp.97-98.
Waterhouse, H., Burton, M. and Neal, J., 2017. E-learning as a medium for communication skills
training. Oxford Textbook of Communication in Oncology and Palliative Care. pp.200.
Online
What is Communication Skills?, 2017 .[Online]. Available through:
<http://www.saisuvidhapersonalitydevelopment.in/courses/communication-skills>. [Accessed on 19
September 2017].
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