Exploring the characteristics of effective communicators in healthcare
To familiarise yourself with the new Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) standards of proficiency for registered nurses, and for nurse education and training
To understand how the new NMC standards will affect your role in the healthcare setting, particularly as a modern nurse communicator
To explore various approaches you can use to develop your communication skills and enhance the nurse-patient therapeutic relationship
Nurses require effective communication and interpersonal skills to provide optimal care, and to ensure that patients and their families and carers have a positive experience of receiving care. The new Nursing and Midwifery Council standards of proficiency for registered nurses, and for nurse education and training, published in May 2018, recognise that future nurses will be practising in increasingly complex roles and environments. This article identifies the essential communication skills that will be required by nurses in the future, summarising the characteristics of a modern nurse communicator. It also suggests various approaches that nurses can use to develop their communication skills.
