Nurses’ views of fundamental relational skills used in clinical practice: a cross-sectional pilot study
Article Category: Original article
Published Online: Sep 21, 2021
Page range: 223 - 232
Received: Oct 03, 2020
Accepted: Dec 21, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/fon-2021-0023
Keywords
© 2021 Fiona Timmins et al., published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Objective
Effective communication skills are one of the core competencies of nursing curricula internationally. Nurses are generally regarded as proficient. Despite our complete trust in the profession, deficiencies and gaps exist. However, it is not clear to which extent nurses use key communication skills in practice, and whether or not confident in using these skills compounds environmental issues that occur. This study explored nurse's confidence and application of relational skills competencies in nursing practice.
Methods
A 13-item online survey was used to collect data.
Results
Being self-aware on key areas where there was more uncertainty. Nurses also lacked confidence in exploring the impact of their personal feelings and values on their interactions. Nurses were also less confident on responding appropriately to instances of unsafe or unprofessional practice and using information and communication systems and technology.
Conclusions
Given the potential impact of poor relational skills on quality client care, an increased emphasis on caring and compassion, and the ever-expanding use of communication technologies, there is a need to explore the need for reflective practice to enhance continuous professional development for nurses to enhance their relational skills.