One of the most frequently asked questions by students from all levels of nursing is: “Why must I say things over and over and still not get my point across?”. Unfortunately, this failure to communicate dynamic is a pitfall that all students experience from time to time. Communication in nursing is a tricky two way street where you not only have to plan for what you are going to speak, write or otherwise convey, but you must also put yourself on the receiving side of your message and do your best to determine how you are going to be heard above all the “noise” that is ever present in your receivers world.
Nursing communication is important to our careers, relationships, and of course, to our patients. It can be the tool that sets you apart from the good nurses and makes you an excellent nurse. It can be the vehicle that gets you mentioned in patient satisfaction surveys, requested shift after shift by a patient’s family, and if you are interested in the road to promotion, it is a key skill that will place you squarely on that path.
Here are the Four C’s of clear, concise, and consequential communication:
Clear. If ever there is a place for embracing simplicity, it is in your communication. Simplicity is truly a beautiful thing. If your simple message is worth saying (or writing), it goes without saying that it will bear repeating. So know up front, you will have to repeat yourself, and then say it again. Yes, I know. I did repeat myself there. Keep your message simple, your purpose in mind, and communicate in the simplest manner that will get you your desired results. Here is a modified version of the old “KISS” method. K-eep I-t S-hort and S-imple. We live in a world of limited characters and attention spans. If you overwhelm your listener with too many words or too much text, they will tune you out. Focus on Clear. Keep it short and simple.
Clean. If you break this word down, it literally says “c” “lean”. That is your goal in written and verbal communication. You want your receiver to see, or hear, lean. Based on what we learned in the first C, you already know your message needs to be simple and easy to understand. It also needs appeal to your listener or reader. The key to 'clean' is for your listener or reader to be able to immediately repeat to you what they are to take away from your message. This “take away” should be something they know to DO after or that they understand as a result of receiving your communication. A good way to practice your c-lean message is to get a practice partner you trust, craft your message, deliver it to that partner, and then ask that person to tell you what they are going to do or what they understand as a result of your communication. If they are close, great! You just have a little tweaking to do. Are they out in left field? Then go back and clear it up and lean it down.
Consequential. Of course, when you take the time to communicate, you want that communication to be consequential, manifesting in the results or behaviors you are after. Remember, conversation can be off the cuff, but communication is consequential. To achieve the desired consequence, you must apply strategic communication. It is not enough to know what you want to say, you must craft your message with the end in mind.
Commitment. If you have employed the first three C’s, and practiced them, you are well on your way to committing an effective nursing communication. Be aware that you will have to commit to the practice distilling the message for your listeners. Here is a reminder that you can repeat to yourself that will help you remember the four C’s. You will have to practice lean, practice clear, chart your course, and persevere.
The payoffs in all facets of your professional and personal life will be well worth your investment of time these techniques.
References:
References:
Joy, M. The 4 c's of communication in nursing. DOI: The 4 C's of Communication in Nursing Retreived from http://www.nursetogether.com/Career/Career-Article/itemId/3174/-The-4-Cs-of-Communication-in-Nursing.aspx
Nurse_patient_communication [Web Photo]. Retrieved from https://www.google.com.lb/search?q=nursingcommunication&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45175338,d.d2k&biw=1517&bih=741&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=T7RpUd2iH7Gg0wW-qYBY&sout=0&ved=0CCcQxxQoAA
No comments:
Post a Comment