Biggest Communication Mistakes in Nursing 

Communication mistakes with patients or co-workers can have unfortunate results.

 

Communication mistakes within hospitals can decrease the quality of patient care, erode crucial teamwork relationships, and result in confusion, frustration, and wasted time. Do your part to create a safe and smooth working environment by avoiding the common communication mistakes that nurses can make.

 ■Watch out for language barriers. Your words matter most when you are trying to communicate with a patient about self-care. If your patient isn't fluent in English, make sure a translator is getting your instructions across clearly. If your patient can't read, don't rely on written instructions to get them by.

 ■Be aware of the commitments you make. Nurses are busy people. You might be surprised by how often you tell a patient or co-worker you'll "be right back" before disappearing for an hour or more. Make sure you mean the words you say.

 ■Listen to your patients. Good communication works both ways. Even if you're overworked that day, your patients deserve a nurse who will listen to their questions and concerns. Don't tune them out or give them thin, unhelpful responses as you scurry out of their rooms.

 ■Don't rush home when the shifts change. Most miscommunications between nurses occur during a shift change. No matter how badly you want to clock out and head home, take the necessary time to pass along all important information to the nurse taking over for your patients.

danielle,Thank you for your comments. I found this interesting because this can be applied to all of our daily lives.. Thanks for your post.. Teresa