Effective communication is not only a skill but a tool that can improve your outcomes as a nurse.
As a medical-surgical (med surg) nurse, you deal with complex medical cases and diverse patient populations. Excellent communication prevents misunderstandings, ensures patient safety, and promotes collaboration with colleagues.
Let’s look at strategies to enhance your communication skills, ensuring great communication with patients, family, and colleagues in the med-surg setting.
Tacking communication barriers in med surg
Clear communication on the med-surg unit isn’t just a nice skill to have — it’s potentially lifesaving. By conveying information accurately, you can help prevent medical errors, delays, and stress.
There are some significant barriers to communication in med surg, however. One is the nature of the unit itself —a busy, often noisy environment. There are also time constraints, with med-surg nurses frequently working under tight timeframes.
High stress levels on med-surg units adversely impact both verbal and non-verbal communication. This can lead to confusion that gets in the way of good patient care. Another issue is that patients and healthcare team members come from diverse backgrounds. Cultural differences can sometimes create communication challenges on med-surg units.
Strategies for effective communication
Effective communication fosters teamwork and collaboration, leading to better care coordination and improved patient satisfaction. Good communication makes patients feel heard, understood, and engaged in their care. Here are the 10 effective ways to be a better communicator on med surg:
1. Practice active listening
Active listening involves focusing on the person speaking, understanding what they’re saying, responding thoughtfully, and recalling what was said. Whether you’re communicating with a patient, family member, or colleague, this skill can significantly improve patient care and team collaboration.
To engage in active listening, maintain eye contact. Allow the speaker to finish their thoughts before responding. Encourage the speaker to continue — you can do this through simple acknowledgements, like nodding or saying, “I see.” Paraphrase what the other person said, to ensure understanding and show you’re paying attention.
2. Provide clear and concise verbal communication
In med surg, you must communicate in a way that avoids misunderstandings and errors. Are you giving a shift handoff report, or providing patient instructions for post-operative care after abdominal surgery? In both of these cases, clarity is key.
Avoid vague language, and clearly state what you mean. Instead of saying the patient’s mobility is improving, you can state, “This morning, he was able to ambulate 20 feet with a walker and minimal assistance.”
When speaking with patients, use less technical terminology. For example, use “swelling” instead of “edema” or tell patients to “Drink plenty of water” instead of telling them to “stay hydrated.”
3. Improve your non-verbal communication
On the med-surg unit, a lot of communication is unspoken. Patients and colleagues may use body language, facial expressions, gestures, or tones of voice. In med surg, non-verbal cues can reinforce (or contract) what’s being said verbally.
To improve your non-verbal communication, maintain an open posture (such as uncrossed arms). It’s welcoming, and suggests you are approachable. Be mindful of facial expressions, and use appropriate touch. As a nurse in med surg, a gentle touch on the shoulder or hand can convey empathy and support to anxious patients.
4. Effectively educate patients
Educating patients — about their conditions, treatments, and follow-up care — is critical for a nurse in med surg. If you do it effectively, you’ll empower patients to take an active role in their care and prevent postoperative complications.
Create an environment where patients feel comfortable asking questions of you as a med-surg nurse. One proven approach is the teach-back method. Ask patients to repeat the information in their own words. Ask the patient to repeat back what they heard to confirm comprehension. In addition to verbal instructions, provide written materials that patients can refer to later.
5. Use technology effectively
In med surg, technology can facilitate information sharing and improve efficiency. To leverage technology, use electronic health records (EHRs) to record patient details and information accurately and share it with the healthcare team. Use secure communication apps for quick, efficient coordination with the med-surg team. Some med-surg nurses implement telehealth solutions for remote consults and follow up with patients.
6. Improve your cultural competence
As a med-surg nurse, being culturally competent enhances communication with patients from diverse backgrounds. Educate yourself about the cultural backgrounds of the patients you see on your unit. If language barriers exist, use professional interpreters to ensure accurate communication.
7. Ensure effective handoff communication
On the med-surg unit, handoffs are critical communication moments. You’re transferring patient information from one caregiver to another. Med-surg nurses can do this effectively by using a standardized approach, such as the Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (SBAR) format.
For those working in med surg, the priority is to ensure all relevant patient information is conveyed during handoffs. Allow the receiving nurse to ask questions and clarify any concerns.
8. Use conflict-resolution strategies
Conflict is sometimes inevitable in healthcare settings. Med-surg units are no exception. To resolve conflicts constructively, address issues early. Use “I” statements, to express your feelings without blaming others (for example, begin by stating, “I feel concerned when…”). If conflicts cannot be resolved directly, don’t hesitate to seek help from a mediator or supervisor on your med-surg unit.
9. Develop emotional intelligence
High emotional intelligence can enhance your capability to understand and manage your own emotions and those around you. Begin by developing self-awareness. Reflect on your own emotions and how they affect your behavior.
Practice controlling your emotions in stressful settings. For example, you may become emotional if a patient has been showing steady improvement but declines unexpectedly. In a case like that, it’s helpful to note that despite the initial shock, you were able to switch to a professional mindset, call for assistance, and begin providing emergency care according to protocol.
10. Attend team meetings and debriefings
This provides opportunities for open communication, feedback, and continuous improvement in your role as a nurse in med surg. The most effective meetings have a clear purpose and agenda. Create an inclusive environment, so all team members on the unit feel comfortable sharing their views.
Integrate communication strategies in your daily practice
Start small. Focus on one or two strategies that you can use in your day-to-day practice. Gradually add more strategies to your routine. Just as you would ask for feedback on your clinical skills when talking with supervisors, ask about your communication skills.
Reflect on your communication experiences. Could you have been more patient when talking to an overwhelmed patient about how to take their pain medicine? Could you have prevented a misunderstanding when handing over care to an oncoming med-surg nurse? If so, consider what you could have done differently.
Overall, effective communication allows you to build relationships with patients, family members, and colleagues. By using these strategies, you’ll thrive in med surg, promote a better work environment, and achieve better healthcare outcomes.
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