Importance Of Verbal Communication In Nursing

The student nurse maintained strong non-verbal communication by adopting the behaviours stated in the framework of Egan’s SOLER acronym (1986, cited in Kraszewski & McEwan, 2010: 6) which means: squarely face the person; open your posture; lean forward to the other person; eye contact maintained; and relax whilst attending, she began adopting these non-verbal behaviours. By following these guidelines the student nurse was able to appear open and approachable to Sam and her body language indicated her concern for his well-being. This was apparent by the student nurse sitting at the same height as Sam, placing a comforting hand on his arm and sitting in a proximity that was close enough to show a friendly relationship, but no so close as to invade the patient’s privacy. The student nurse was aware that a degree of uncertainty is present with regards to the use of touch, noting that it is calming to come patients, but uncomfortable or threatening to others

Handovers are one of the most important aspects of nursing, and the perfect opportunity to discuss Sam’s treatment, communicate the problems and concerns that have arisen and ensure that everyone on the team understands what is transpiring in regards to the patient (Entwistle, 2011). This detailed handover was achieved with both a verbal and written account of the encounter, resulting in a thorough understanding of the encounter for staff who were not present at the time. It is due to clear documentation that the likelihood of Sam receiving the best care is increased, and as the old adage goes “If it isn’t documented it wasn’t done” (Balzer-Riley, 2012: 139-140). Record keeping is not just completed to ensure the best possible care for the patient; by producing a written account of the event the student nurse is also protecting herself by providing evidence of what took