Description
Communication Skills is an accessible textbook for nursing and healthcare students seeking to understand the concept of communication and to develop their communication skills.
Through clear explanations, case studies and activities, the book will help you to understand the principles of communication and develop your own skills for your healthcare practice. You will learn:
- Why communication is fundamental to nursing and health care
- How to communicate in assessing, planning, providing and managing care
- How to communicate in promoting health and in therapeutic interventions
- How to communicate in difficult situations
- How to communicate with a diverse range of people
- How communication is used to improve patient safety
This book will help you to demonstrate your communication skills and develop your proficiency in nursing and health care.
Essentials is a series of accessible, introductory textbooks for students in nursing, health and social care. New and forthcoming titles in the series:
- The Care Process
- Communication Skills
- Leadership
- Mental Health
- Promoting Health and Wellbeing
- Study Skills
About the authors; Introduction
1. Communication as a concept
Kay Norman and Erica Pavord
     1.1 Introduction
     1.2 Defining communication
     1.3 Communication frameworks
     1.4 The transmission model
     1.5 The transactional model
     1.6 Channels of communication
     1.7 Self-awareness in communication
     1.8 Reflective practice
     Summary
2. Communication skills in assessing, planning providing and managing care
Pádraig Ó Lúanaigh
     2.1 Introduction
     2.2 Verbal and non-verbal communication
     2.3 Active listening and appropriate questioning
     2.4 Emotional vocabulary
     2.5 Caring conversations
     2.6 Brief interventions
     2.7 Duty of candour
     2.8 Written communication
     2.9 Social media and electronic communication
     2.10 Sharing information effectively
     Summary
3. Communication skills in promoting health
Alison Lewis
     3.1 Introduction
     3.2 Assessing motivation for change
     3.3 Explaining and evidence-based approach to health
     3.4 Strategies for disseminating information
     3.5 Addressing common health risk behaviours
     Summary
4. Communication skills for therapeutic intervention
Erica Pavord
     4.1 Introduction
     4.2 Developing a therapeutic relationship
     4.3 Motivational interviewing
     4.4 Reminiscence therapies
     4.5 De-escalation strategies and techniques
     4.6 Distraction and diversion strategies
     Summary
5. Communication skills in difficult situations
Louise Carter
     5.1 Introduction
     5.2 Demonstrating compassion and sensitivity
     5.3 Communication vulnerability and ageing
     5.4 Sensory impairment
     5.5 Aphasia
     5.6 Dementia
     5.7 Breaking bad news
     Summary
6. Communication and diversity
Naomi A. Watson
     6.1 Introduction
     6.2 Embracing diversity
     6.3 In what ways are we diverse?
     6.4 Communicating with diverse colleagues
     Summary
7. Communication skills for teamworking
Kay Norman
     7.1 Introduction
     7.2 Strengths-based approaches
     7.3 Negotiation strategies
     7.4 Collaborative working
     7.5 Organisational culture
     7.6 Dealing with team conflict
     7.7 Supervising others
     Summary
8. Communication for patient safety
Val Nixon
     8.1 Introduction
     8.2 Development of patient safety
     8.3 Incident reporting
     8.4 A human factors approach to patient safety
     8.5 Learning from errors
     Summary
Index
‘Each chapter explores a clearly defined topic, with concise learning objectives and key points sandwiching the chapter. Aside from the traditional usage of the index page to navigate to a specific topic, the learning outcomes mean you can delve into a certain section if you aren’t reading cover to cover, with more context applied than using solely the index. Activities to facilitate the reader’s comprehension are scattered throughout the book, but in a logical, non-disruptive manner as opposed to thrown in for the sake of filling a page. The activities fit the flow of information and provide opportunities for reflection and critical thinking (both important skills to develop in themselves). Chapters are followed with further reading and reference lists.
Communication Skills is pleasant to use and read, not too simplistic, not too wordy, nor with too many references distracting from the learning points.
All in all there’s a lot of value packed into this seemingly simple book, that will stay relevant throughout any healthcare course and career.’
Student reviewer
