METHODS OF OVERCOMING COMMUNICATION BARRIERS IN PROFESSIONAL NURSING ACTIVITIES

Abstract

Introduction. Understanding the culture of communication and possessing high-quality communication skills are crucial in the professional activities of a nurse. Communication skills are considered a key component of soft skills, which can significantly enhance work efficiency, organize teamwork – a pivotal aspect in providing quality medical care – and facilitate the execution of clinical tasks. As nurses spend a considerable amount of their working time with patients of varying severity, effective communication becomes a component of patient care and psychoemotional support.

The aim of the study – to assess the role of communication skills in the professional activities of a nurse and identify key communication barriers when interacting with patients. Additionally, to explore methods for overcoming communication difficulties in nursing practice.

The main part. Nurses often encounter challenges in communicating with patients and their families, especially when dealing with severe and prognostically unfavorable diseases. To ease communication with such patients, it is essential to understand the relevance of problems, the reasons for their occurrence, the psychological state associated with specific illnesses, and the ability to overcome communication difficulties. Research findings delineate major communication barriers in the professional activities of nurses, including socio-political, technical, concrete-situational, subject-content, language-national, professional, educational, age-related, gender-related, and communication-specific (verbal and non-verbal). Phonetic, stylistic, and semantic barriers are less common. To achieve quality communication between nurses and patients, it is crucial for nurses to recognize communication barriers and autonomously address them.

Conclusions. Key strategies for addressing this issue include debriefing among nursing staff, providing proper support for optimal emotional well-being of nurses (especially during medical care for wounded individuals), and annual participation in courses on pedagogical competence. An important step in overcoming communication barriers is the introduction of modernized courses to improve communication skills on the basis of higher education institutions in the training of specialists in specialty 223 “Nursing”.