Effective Communication In Nursing Research

In general most, although not all, patients expect honesty and openness about their health and care , Nurses are the front line of patient care and clear communication and honesty is the key to the trust built between nurses and those in our care ,To facilitate that trust we must be able to communicate effectively and clearly. Effective communication is fundamental to good nursing practise and to improved patient care and without it we will fail.

Communication as defined by the Oxford Dictionary;
The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.

Flin states, 'Communication is the transfer of information, ideas or feelings' (Flin 2009, p.16). These are simple and effective descriptions
Without it, people cannot relate to those around them, make their needs and concerns known or make sense of what is happening to them. One of the most basic goals for nursing staff is that their patients and clients and those who care for them experience effective communication (Department of Health (DH) 2010a).

The Royal College of Nursing along with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), The Department of Health plus patient and service user organisations have developed 8 principles, identifying values common to all nursing tasks They apply to healthcare assistants, students and registered nurses. Put simply they describe what everyone can expect from nursing.

The fifth Principle of Nursing Practice, Principle E reads:
‘Nurses and nursing staff are at the heart of the communication process: they assess, record and report on treatment and care, handle information sensitively and confidentially, deal with complaints effectively, and are conscientious in reporting the things they are concerned
No legacy is so rich as Honesty. ~ William Shakespeare

So accepting the premise that clear and honest communication is the key to good health care,
Do we have the right to withhold prognosis in certain cases ?
Some experts have proven that in some cases disclosing too much information is harmful and dangerous to the patient, and that we should simply address immediate problems and concerns.

Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, M.D. one of the foremost authorities in the field of death and dying was asked;
“Is there ever any justification for not being honest with someone who is dying, about the fact that they are dying?"

"Ross: You have to be honest, but you don't have to be totally honest. You have to answer their questions, but don't volunteer information for which they have not asked, because that means that they are not ready for it yet. So you have to be very careful how you word it. And never, ever take hope away from a dying patient. Without hope nobody can live. You are not God. You don't know what is in store for them, what else can help them, or how meaningful, maybe the last six months of a person's life