1. Nurses Views and Confidence with Key Communication Skills in Republic of Ireland
Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, RCSI 36th Annual International Nursing & Midwifery Research and Education Conference 2017, 2nd March 2017
Asst. Professor Jacqueline Whelan , Assoc. Prof . Fiona Timmins, Asst. Prof Catherine McCabe, Ms. Sinead Buckley, Ms. Yvonne Muldowney, Ms. Sinead McCarthy, Prof. Jan de Vries,

2. Background
Effective communication skills fundamental to maintaining interpersonal relationships .
Crucial component of patient safety and quality care (Bagnasco et al 2013).
Core competence requirement (ABA 2005).
Limited evidence, no standardised method for effective nurse-patient communication(Lau & Wang 2013, McCabe 2004).
Little is known about the usefulness of communication skills post qualification.

3. Study Aims
Explore nurses views and application of key communication skills in nursing practice in the Republic of Ireland (ROI).
To examine nurses’ perceptions of important elements of nurse/client communication.

4. Method Survey Tool - 20 item questionnaire
Administered by using survey monkey link.
Demographic data
Views on current undergraduate curricula content in ROI (ABA, 2005).
Five point likert scale presented to ascertain confidence with each item.

5. Data Collection
Probability sampling difficult as national nursing database and register in ROI yield low response rates of < 10% (McDonnell and Timmins 2012, Timmins et al 2012).
Convenience Sampling drawn from an Alumni database (n=5000) of one national university.
Gatekeeper based at local Alumni office sent survey link.
Response (n=52).

6. Table Areas of Employment
Answer Options
Percent Response Response Count Response Count
Paediatrics/children's nursing %
Learning disability %
Community %
General nursing %
Midwifery %
Psychiatry/mental health %
Other %
Retired %
Not employed %

7. Table 2 Age Distribution of Employment
Please indicate your age
Answer Options
Response Percent Response Count
20-29yrs %
30-39 yrs %
40-49yrs %
50yrs %
I'd rather not say %

8. Results -Table 3 Nurse’s Confidence with communication skills and competencies in nursing practice
Answer Options
Not at all confident
Somewhat confident
Unsure
Confident
Very Confident
Response Count
Integrating knowledge of ethical principles, nursing code within scope of practice in nursing practice 2 3 5 26 16 52
Being self aware and impact on interactions 1 8 6 21
Developing essential interpersonal skills 24 23
Communicating with diverse/disability age groups 25 12 50
Responding appropriately to instances of unsafe or unprofessional practice 11
Using communication techniques in therapeutic relationship 4 18 51

9. Results - Table 3 Nurse’s Confidence with communication skills and competencies in nursing practice
Answer Options
Not at all confident
Somewhat confident
Unsure
Confident
Very Confident
Response Count
Establishing effective professional relationships with client/family/MDT 1 3 23 24 52
Communicating nursing verbally/writing 2 19 29
Using information communication systems/technology 6 9 22 14
Serving as an advocate for rights of clients 4 21 50
Ensuring confidentiality records and interactions 16 33
Practices diversity 8 20 51

10. Results - Table 3 Nurse’s Confidence with communication skills and competencies in nursing practice
Answer Options
Not at all confident
Somewhat confident
Unsure
Confident
Very Confident
Response Count
Reflecting on the usefulness of personal communication techniques 2 5 6 26 13 52
Conducting nursing care to ensure that clients receive and understand relevant information concerning health care 1 3 23
Assisting clients and groups to communicate needs and to make informed decisions 24 20

11. Results - Table 4 Nurse’s views on communication skills required to equip them to provide quality nursing care
Answer Options
Response Percent
Response Count
Integrating knowledge of ethical principles, nursing code within scope of practice in nursing practice
57.7% 30
Being self aware and impact on interactions
67.3% 35
Developing essential interpersonal skills
78.8% 41
Communicating with diverse/disability age groups
63.5% 33
Responding appropriately to instances of unsafe or unprofessional practice
Using communication techniques in therapeutic relationship
73.1% 38
Establishing effective professional relationships with client/family/MDT
80.8% 42
Communicating nursing verbally/writing
82.7% 43

12. Results - Table 4 Nurse’s views on communication skills required to equip them to provide quality nursing care
Answer Options
Response Percent
Response Count
Using information communication systems/technology
55.8% 29
Serving as an advocate for rights of clients
71.2% 37
Ensuring confidentiality records and interactions
75.0% 39
Practices diversity
67.30% 35
Reflecting on the usefulness of personal communication techniques
69.2% 36
Conducting nursing care to ensure that clients receive and understand relevant information concerning health care
Assisting clients and groups to communicate needs and to make informed decisions
76.9% 40

13. Results – Table 5 Top five communication skills required to equip nurses to provide quality nursing care
Top five items
Response Percent
Response Count
Communicating nursing information verbally/writing
82.7% 43
Establishing effective professional relationships with clients/family/friends/nursing colleagues and with other professionals members of the health care team
80.8% 42
Assisting clients and groups to communicate needs and to make informed decisions
76.9% 40
Developing interpersonal; and communication skills that are essential to the nurse
78.8% 41
Ensuring confidentiality in respect to records and interactions
75.0% 39

14. Table 6 Mapping of Survey Items against domains of competence and indicators of (ROI) nursing profession
(ABA 2005)
Domain of Competency
Domain 3
Interpersonal Relationships
Indicators
Survey Item and Ranking
3.2 Establishes and maintains therapeutic interpersonal relationships with individuals Groups/communities
Reflects on usefulness of personal communication techniques
Conducts nursing care ensuring clients receive and understand relevant and current information concerning health care
Assists clients/groups/communities to communicate needs and to make informed decisions
Developing interpersonal and communication skills that are essential to the nurse
Ranked No.4
Communicating nursing information verbally/writing
Ranked No.1
Ranked No.3

15. Key Recommendations
increased awareness of reflection, self-awareness skills, reporting poor practice and intercultural competence skills within the nursing curriculum.
communicating with different cultural / ethnic groups, people with disability/ impairment and different age groups, communication systems and technology or responding to instances of unsafe and unprofessional practice.
Systems for improving communication skills and initiatives in intercultural upskilling nurses are required to develop necessary skills where they may be absent.

16. Limitations Low response rate.
Replication with larger international samples would be useful.

17. Conclusion
The study confirms the importance of communication as a fundamental nursing skill in practice (Kajander-Unkuri et al ).
Nurses expressed confidence with specific competencies, skill requirements and interdisciplinary nurse /patient communication and record keeping.
Participants less confident with reflecting upon practice, self awareness and responding appropriately to situations of unsafe or unprofessional practice.

18. References
An Bord Altranais (2005) Requirements and Standards for Nurse Education Programmes, An Bord Altranais, Dublin.
Bagnasco A, Tubino B, Piccotti E, Rosa F, Aleo G, Di Pietro P, & Sasso L. (2013) Iidentifying and correcting communication failures among health professionals working in the Emergency Department. International Emergency Nursing, 21(3):
Kajander-Unkuri S et al. (2013) Competence areas of nursing students in Europe, Nurse Education Today, 33(6),
Lau Y & Wang W. (2013) Development and evaluation of learner-centred training course on communication skills for baccalaureate nursing students, Nurse Education Today, 33,
McCabe C. (2004) Nurse-patient communication; an exploration of patioents experiences, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13, 41-9.

19. References
McDonnell S & Timmins F(2012) Subjective burden experienced by nurses when caring for delirious patients, Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21,
Timmins F, McCabe C & McSherry, R (2012) Research awareness among nurses in the Republic of Ireland, Journal of Nursing Management, 20,

20. Thank you. I welcome your questions and comments.