Running head: VERBAL COMMUNICATION 1

VerbalCommunication

ACommunicationinNursingResearchPaper

MaryAngelicaOng

LouisianaStateUniversity

AuthorsNote

MaryAngelicaOng,DepartmentofPreNursing,StateUniversity

NursingStudents
VERBAL COMMUNICATION 2

Abstract:

Thispapersexplainswhyverbalcommunicationisimportantinthefieldof

medicine,morespecifically,thenursingfield.Ittalksabouttherelationshipanursehas

withhis/herpatientsandcoworkers.Thispapersalsoaddressestheproperwayanurse

shouldtalkandaskquestionsandwhentousemedicaltermsdependingonwhotheyare

talkingto.Italsotouchesbaseonthepitfallsofhavingpoorverbalcommunicationinthe

workplace.Thearticlesusedusesdifferentformsofapproachestogettheirmessage

across.Themainpointoftheessayistoinformnotonlynursingstudents,butaswellas

currentnurses,whomaynotbeawareoftheimpactthattheycanhavewiththeirpatients.

Itisimportantforthosewhoareinthemedicalfieldtoalwaysbeclearandprecisein

givingimportantinformationtothosethatareinvolvedinthetreatmentsandprocedures.

Keywords:verbalcommunication,carefronting
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Preface:
Inthecategoryoffocus,IgivemyselfaonebecausewhileIamreadingmy
paper,Ifindthatmyfocusismoreaboutanursesrelationshipwithherpatientsand
coworkersratherthanaboutverbalcommunication.Inthecategoryoforganization,I
givemyselfatwobecauseIthinkthatIknowwhattopicsIwanttotalkaboutandIcan
tietheparagraphstogether.Inthecategoryofdevelopment,IgivemyselfaonebecauseI
dontthinkthatIaddedalotofdetailsinmypaperandaswellasexplanationsastowhy
IusethequotesthatIdid.Fortheaudienceawarenessandvoice,Igivemyselfaone
becauseIdontthinkthatmyaudienceisclear.
ThreeconcernsthatIhavearemyfocus,audienceawareness,anddevelopment.I
needtoworkonhowtomakesurethatverbalcommunicationcaneasilybespottedasmy
focusandnotrelationships.IalsoneedtomakesurethatmyaudienceisclearandthatI
havetheappropriatetoneformypaper.Developmentisalsoanotherconcernforme
becausethequotesthatImayhaveusedmaynotbeenoughtojustifywhatIamtryingto
say.
Theteachercommentdraftreallyhelpedmemakemypaperbetterthanwhatit
was.ItshowedmewhereIneededtoelaborateonandwhereIneededtoprovide
examples.Thecommentthatwasreallyhelpfulwastheculturalbarriercomment.Itmade
merealizedthatinorderformyaudiencetounderstandhowculturaldifferencescan
becomeaprobleminthefieldistoprovideaspecificexampleofit.Idontthinkanyof
thecommentswereconfusing.Ithoughtthattheywereallveryusefulinimprovingmy
paper.
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Introduction:

Therearedifferentmodesofcommunication,eachhavingequalimportanceinthe

fieldofnursing.Thesedifferenttypesofmodesarewritten,verbal,nonverbalor

therapeutic,andvisualcommunication.Verbalcommunicationisnotlimitedtojust

patients;itgoesbeyondtheworkplaceaswell.Anurseshouldbeabletodistinguishhow

toproperlyuseverbalcommunicationwithhis/herpatients,coworkers,aswellasto

knowhowtoapproachapatient.

OverviewofGenres:

Verbalcommunicationplaysanimportantroleinnursing.Nursesuseverbal

communicationtomakesurethatnecessaryinformationisgettingacrossnotonlytotheir

patients,buttotheircoworkersaswell.Beinganurserequiresforonetogiveclear,

precise,andeasytofollowinstructions.Nurseshavetobeawareoftheirtoneand

languagewhentalkingbecausenoteveryonehasthesamelevelofeducationasanurse.

Nurseshavetogothroughextensiveschoolingandtheyarerequiredtousevocabularies

thatpatientsmaynotbeabletounderstand.

NursetoPatientCommunication:

Nursesareexposedtomanydifferentkindsofrelationships,butthemost

importantrelationshipsthattheyhavetomaintainarewiththeirpatients.Asanurse,

usingtheproperverbalskillswithapatientcanmakeadifferenceinthelevelofcarea

patientreceives.Accordingtothearticle,CommunicationinNursingPracticefrom
VERBAL COMMUNICATION 5

NationalInstitutesofHealth:Communicationbetweennurseandpatientisaprocess

thatbeginswiththefirstcontactofthetwoandlastsaslongasthetherapeutic

relationships(KourkoutaandPapathanasiou).Thisjustshowshowimportantitisto

makesurethatnursesstartoffintherightfootwiththeirpatients.

Nursesalsohavetomakesurethattheytalkinthesamelevelastheirpatient.

Thismeanstalkingtothepatientinthelevelthattheycanunderstandandprocess.One

waytoseeifthepatienttrulyunderstandswhathe/shejustsaidistohavethepatient

repeatitbacktothem.ThepurposeofthearticleEducationalRoleofNurseinChronic

DiseaseControlfromPublicHealthRecordsbyDrenckhahn(1965)istoeducateor

informcurrentandfuturenursesbyprovidingexamplesofwaysanursecanmakesure

he/sheiscommunicatingeffectivelywiththepatient.AccordingtoDrenckhahn,asking

questionslikewontyoushowmehowyoudoit?ornowletsreviewwhatwesaid

willhelpanurseseewherethepatientiscomfortableandwherehe/sheneedstoelaborate

moreon.(1965,p.1104).Allowingforthepatienttodemonstratewhattheywerejust

taughtwillensurethenursethatthepatientclearlyunderstands.Itisclearthattheway

nursescommunicateiskeytohavingagoodrelationshipwithapatient.

NursetoCoworkersCommunication:

Anursesrelationshipgoesbeyondjustthepatient;theyalsoestablisha

relationshipwiththeircoworkersandagainhavetoadjustonhowtheycommunicateto

oneanother.Nursesareinacompetitivesettingthus;complicationswithoneanothercan

arise.Beingabletocommunicatewithoneanothercaneasethetensionbetween

coworkers.ThepurposeofthearticleCarefrontingfromNursingLeadershipisto
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
informnursesonhowcarefrontingworksbyprovidingstepstosolveamisunderstanding.
Belowisanexcerptofthearticle.
Truthingit:Asimplifiedspeechstyle.
Truthingitencompassesthewillingness
andabilitytolistendeeply,empathetically,
andaccuratelytoassureunderstandingof
otherspointsofview.Truthingalso
encompassesspeakingsimply,Iwantto
hearyouaccuratelyandspeaking
honestly,Iwanttosharemyfeelingsand
attitudeswithyou;Iwanttobeheard;I
careaboutourrelationship.
Invitingchange:Carefulconfrontation.
Carefrontinginviteschangebutdoesnot
demandit.Invitingchangemeansfocusing
feedbackonthebehavior,nottheperson;
onobservations,notconclusions;on
descriptions,notjudgments;andonideas
andalternatives,notonadviceand
answers.Invitingchangeencompasses
clear,simpledescriptionsandobservations
couchedinconcernandcaring.Invite
changebycarefrontingcaringly,gently,
constructively,andclearly.
Endingblame:Forgetwhosefaultthe
conflictis.Confrontationthatendeavorsto
placeblameinevitablyevokesresistance
andresentment.Carefrontingendsthe
blamegame,leadingtotherealquestions:
Whatistherespectfulthingtodonow?
Wheredowegofromhere?Whendowe
starttodiscusstheconflict?Ifnotnow,
when?Ifnotuswhocaresenoughabout
ourgoals,suchaspatientsafety,whowill
endblameandworktowardthe
professionalpracticewedeserve?
Peacemaking:Gettingtogetheragain.
Nurseleaderswhoarepeacemakersare
caringpeoplewhodaretobetrulypresent
inconflictsituations,listeningandcaring
forallstakeholders.Peacemakerscare
enoughtoconfrontanddropthedemands
6
Owninganger:Letbothyourfacesshow.
Angerisbothapositive,selfaffirming
emotionandademand.Whenonefeels
ignoredorrejected,thenormalresponseis
anger.Iamapersonofworth,Idemand
thatyourecognizeandrespectme.Each
person,regardlessifthecontextisa
practiceoreducationalsetting,is
responsibleforchoosinghowtheyrespond
andreacttootherswhenconflictsoccur.
Givingtrust:Atwowayventure.Trust
undergirds,connects,andintegratesall
humanemotions.Trust,whichisessential
inworkrelationships,isgroundedin
authenticselfdisclosure.Trustconfronts
openly,frankly,respectfully,and
responsibly,trustingthattheotherperson
willassumehisorherresponsibilitytobe
equallyhonestandfrank.Suchtrust
releasesdemandsandacceptsapologies.
Gettingunstuck:Thefreedomtochange.
Gettingunstuckmeansowning
responsibilityforonespartintheconflict
andrefusingtowastetimeinassigning
blame.Gettingunstuckmeansaccepting
accountabilityforbehavioralchangesthat
acceptresponsibilityforthepresent
conflictandfocusingonwhatcanbeis
shared.
(KupperscmidtandSherman2011)
VERBAL COMMUNICATION 7

ofthepast.Peacemakersarenurseleaders
whovalueothersandwhohave
rediscoveredthatthevaluesthatshapetheir
decisionsmustbelastingvaluesconsistent
withthevaluesoftheprofession.

Theexcerptabovelistssomestrategiesofcarefrontinganursecando.Itexplains

howtocometoanagreementwithoneanothersothattheycanofferabettercareservice.

ThisexcerptfromCarefrontingisagreatexampleofhowverbalcommunicationis

importantinthefieldofnursing.

AskingQuestions:

Thewaythatanursedevelopsagoodcommunicationwithhis/herpatientsis

throughthewaythattheytalk.Itisimportanttoletonespatientknowthattheyaregoing

tobetakencareofandthattheyarenottobeblamed.Thepurposeofthearticle

ValidationTherapyfromTheEncyclopediaofElderCareistoinformnursesthatthey

waytheyaskquestionscanmakeahugedifferenceinunderstanding.Thearticleuses5

keyquestions:Who?What?Where?When?How?(BurnetteandHowell2013).Notice

howwhy?wasnotincluded.Thisisbecauseitisveryimportanttoavoidaskingwhy

becausedoingsowillonlymakethepatientfeelliketheyareatfault,thattheyare

responsibleforthestatetheyarein.Nurseshavetobeawarewiththekindofquestions

thattheyasktheirpatientsbecauseitcansometimesleadtoamisunderstanding.

CommonPitfallsinCommunication:

Therearemanypitfallsinthemodeofverbalcommunication.Themostcommon

pitfallislanguageandculturalbarrier.ThepurposeofthearticleCulturalDiversityin

NursingEducation:Perils,Pitfalls,andPearlsfromJournalofNursingEducationisto
VERBAL COMMUNICATION 8

informnurseshowlanguageandculturaldifferencesmayappearaspoorverbal

communicationtoothersandexcellentverbalcommunicationstoothers.Thearticle

includesanexampleofhowastudentsproficiencyinEnglishwasadequatebuthis

culturalbackgroundbecameabarrier(Bednarz,Schim,andDoorenbos2010,p.255).

ThestudentcamefromChinaandthushisactionsandthewayhetalksmaybetakenthe

wrongway.Thearticletalksabouthowthestudentwouldjustgouptohispatientand

commandtake(p.255).Thisshowshowculturaldifferencescanbecomeaproblemin

thelevelofunderstandingbetweenthepatientandthenurse.

Conclusion:

Verbalcommunicationisanimportantmodeofcommunicationinthefieldof

nursingamongsidetheothermodes.Itisimportantforanursetodistinguishwhentouse

certainvocabularywhentheyarewithapatientandwhentheyarewiththeircoworkers.

Askingquestionscanmakeorbreakthecourseofmedicaltreatmentapatientreceives,so

itisextremelyimportanttobemindfulofhowonedeliversthequestion.Beingawareof

oneselfcannotonlybetterthepatientshealthoutcome,butaswellasthework

environment.

References
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Bednarz, H., Schim, S., & Doorenbos, A. (2010). Cultural diversity in nursing education:

perils, pitfalls, and pearls. Journal Of Nursing Education, 49(5), 253-260.

doi:10.3928/01484834-20100115-02

Burnette, V. and Howell, T. (2013). Validation therapy. In E. Capezuti, The encyclopedia

of elder care: The comprehensive resource on geriatric health and social

care. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Retrieved from

http://libezp.lib.lsu.edu/login?

url=http://literati.credoreference.com/content/entry/spenelderc/validation_t

herapy/0

Drenckhahn, V. (1965). Educational Role of the Nurse in Chronic Disease Control.

Public Health Reports (1896-1970), 80(12), 1103-1106.

doi:10.2307/4592622

Kourkouta,L.,&Papathanasiou,I.V.(2014).CommunicationinNursing
Practice.MateriaSocioMedica,26(1),6567.
http://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2014.26.6567

Kupperschmidt,B.andSherman,R.O.(2011).Carefronting.InH.Feldman,Nursing
leadership.NewYork,NY:SpringerPublishingCompany.Retrieved
fromhttp://libezp.lib.lsu.edu/login?
url=http://literati.credoreference.com/content/entry/spnurld/carefronting/0
?institutionId=463
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