XA3002 Assessment Instructions
Review the details of your assessment including the rubric. You will have the ability to submit the assessment once you submit your required pre-assessment and engage with your Faculty Subject Matter Expert (SME) in a substantive way about the competency.
Overview
For this Performance Task Assessment, you will construct conduct an interview with a nurse to explore the importance of professional communication in practice. Using this interview and resources from the module, you will construct a paper detailing the importance of professional communication and emotional intelligence in nursing.
Instructions
To complete this Assessment, do the following:
- Be sure to adhere to the indicated assignment length.
- Download the College of Nursing Writing Template.
Before submitting your Assessment, carefully review the rubric. This is the same rubric the SME will use to evaluate your submission and it provides detailed criteria describing how to achieve or master the Competency. Many students find that understanding the requirements of the Assessment and the rubric criteria help them direct their focus and use their time most
All submissions must follow the conventions of scholarly writing. Properly formatted APA citations and references must be provided where appropriate. Submissions that do not meet these expectations will be returned without scoring.
More information on this Assessment.
Part 1: Interview (1-2 pages)
Conduct an interview with a nurse you work with, a nurse in the program, and/or a family member who is a nurse. Your interview will focus on how your selected nurse uses professional communication in their practice. Construct a response reflecting on this interview. Your reflection should include descriptions of your feelings regarding the interview, descriptions of the verbal and nonverbal communication, and descriptions of communication skills employed.
Part 2: Professional Communication and Emotional Intelligence Paper (1–2 pages)
Construct a 1- to 2-page paper detailing the importance of professional communication and emotional intelligence in nursing. Your paper should connect to the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses and your interview with your selected nurse. Your paper should address how effective communication and emotional intelligence impacts communication with patients, families, and other healthcare professionals. Parts 1 and 2 should be included in one document, and it should be submitted in APA format, including both citations and reference page. Please utilize the College of Nursing Writing Template.
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SOLUTION to XA 3002- Summative Assessment.
The Critical Role of Professional Communication and Emotional Intelligence in Nursing Practice
One of the most important aspects of the nursing profession relates to communicating effectively and the ability to recognize and deal with emotions, especially in critical areas such as the Emergency Room (ER). These aspects effectively prepares a nurse to be able to deliver quality patient care, relate well with patients and colleagues, and deal with various complexities within health care organizations. For the purpose of deepening the understanding of these skills, an interview was conducted with another nurse and questions about how they apply the aspects of professional communication on the job were asked. This reflection and the subsequent analysis underscores the importance of communication and emotional intelligence in the nursing, and relates these two components to the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics.
Part one: Interview Reflection
An interview was conducted with a colleague who works at the same healthcare center as I do. In addition, I spent a whole shift beside them to get a deeper understanding of how they employ different communication strategies in their profession.
Feelings about the Interview
During the interview with my colleague, who has been an ER nurse for over five years, I felt a mix of admiration and curiosity. The conversation analyzed the real nature of the process of communication in ER, which is considered to be one of the most severe and stringent contexts of professional interaction, where words matter. Further, my colleague pointed out the aspect of courtesy and professionalism such as staying polite and composed irrespective of the situation or the attitude of the patients. Their ability to maintain professionalism, despite the challenging nature of the ER, was both inspiring and enlightening.
Verbal and nonverbal communication
As for the verbal communication, my colleague maintained the distinct, authoritative manner of speaking with the patients and the members of the staff. This approach not only captured much attention but also provided some form of comfort to patients who felt tensed or confused. He also emphasized on the importance of using simple, non-clinical language to ensure that patients and their families fully understand the situation and the care being provided. This practice is in line with a study by Forsythe et al. (2019) that emphasize that patient-centered communication is crucial for improving on patient understanding and decreasing anxiety levels. For instance, when describing a procedure that was rather complicated to get through, my colleague would summarize the information in parts, making sure the patient understood before going on to the next part.
Nonverbal communication also plays a significant role in their practice. My friend frequently applied the gestural communication like eye contact as a way of building trust and familiarity particularly while informing patients of their status. Keutchafo et al. (2020) note that this approach is instrumental in building trust because it conveys attentiveness and empathy. In the interview they also pointed out other aspects such as the need to lean forward in the chair and how nodding shows that one empathizes with the other. For instance, when comforting a distressed patient, they would sit at eye level and gently touch the patient's shoulder, providing reassurance through physical presence.
Communication skills employed
Some of the communication skills and methods used included active listening and empathy, which are regarded as components of emotional intelligence by Donisi et al. (2022). They also emphasized the need to be attentive during patient and colleague engagements which entails not only hearing what is being said but also how it is being said. This helps them know how to react in the most appropriate manner depending on the circumstance such as when diffusing a conflict or when consoling the family of a deceased patient. These modes of communication also reflect the ANA’s requirement of respecting the patients and being compassionate towards them, as this will create understanding and cooperation between the patient and the healthcare practitioners.
Part 2: Professional Communication and Emotional Intelligence
Effective communication and emotional intelligence are effective core components of professional nursing practice, especially as it relates to the delivery of appropriate, quality and compassionate patient care. According to the ANA Code of Ethics, nurses are required to “practice with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth, and unique attributes of every person” (ANA, 2022). This principle underscores the importance of professional communication, which involves not only the exchange of information but also the demonstration of empathy, respect, and cultural sensitivity.
Additionally, emotional intelligence, defined as the ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions and the emotions of others, plays a crucial role in how nurses communicate (Dugué et al., 2021). In the ER, for example, nurses must often manage their own stress and emotions while simultaneously providing care to patients in critical condition. Emotional intelligence has been shown to improve communication effectiveness, reduce burnout, and enhance patient care quality (Dugué et al., 2021). My interview with the fellow ER nurse revealed that effective communication in such situations hinges on the nurse’s ability to remain calm and composed, which is a direct application of emotional intelligence. This ability to self-regulate not only enhances the clarity and effectiveness of communication but also helps in building trust with patients and their families.
The impact of effective communication and emotional intelligence extends beyond patient interactions. It is equally important in collaborating with other healthcare professionals. In a multidisciplinary team, clear communication is essential for coordinating care, especially in high-stakes scenarios where miscommunication can lead to errors (Aas, 2024). Conversely, emotional intelligence facilitates better teamwork by enabling nurses to navigate interpersonal dynamics, resolve conflicts, and foster a collaborative environment (White et al., 2019). For instance, my colleague mentioned how they use active listening and empathy to address concerns raised by other team members, thereby strengthening the team's cohesion and effectiveness.
Moreover, the ANA emphasizes that nurses have an ethical obligation to “establish, maintain, and improve healthcare environments and conditions of employment conducive to the provision of quality health care” (ANA, 2022). This directive highlights the role of professional communication and emotional intelligence in creating a positive work environment. Donisi et al. (2022) state that nurses who are good communicators and emotionally intelligent promote environment of safety, respect and teamwork which in turn leads to improvement of the overall outcome of patient care.
Conclusion
The interview and subsequent analysis reinforced the critical importance of professional communication and emotional intelligence in nursing. These skills are essential for providing high-quality, compassionate care and for fostering effective collaboration within the healthcare team. Therefore, by practicing in line with the standards established by the ANA code of ethics, nurses are guaranteed of practicing good interpersonal communication that respects the worth and rights of every person, leading to improved patient outcomes and enhanced working environment.
References
Aas, M. C. (2024). The effectiveness of closed-loop communication training for healthcare providers on use, medical errors, and task performance: A systematic review.
ANA Center for Ethics and Human Rights. (2022). Position statement: The nurse’s role and responsibility in unveiling and dismantling racism in nursing.
Donisi, V., Perlini, C., Mazzi, M. A., Rimondini, M., Garbin, D., Ardenghi, S., ... & Del Piccolo, L. (2022). Training in communication and emotion handling skills for students attending medical school: Relationship with empathy, emotional intelligence, and attachment style. Patient Education and Counseling, 105(9), 2871-2879. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2022.05.015
Dugué, M., Sirost, O., & Dosseville, F. (2021). A literature review of emotional intelligence and nursing education. Nurse Education in Practice, 54, 103124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2021.103124
Forsythe, L. P., Carman, K. L., Szydlowski, V., Fayish, L., Davidson, L., Hickam, D. H., ... & Anyanwu, C. U. (2019). Patient engagement in research: early findings from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Health Affairs, 38(3), 359-367. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05067
Keutchafo, E. L. W., Kerr, J., & Jarvis, M. A. (2020). Evidence of nonverbal communication between nurses and older adults: a scoping. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00443-9
White, D. E., & Grason, S. (2019). The importance of emotional intelligence in nursing care. Journal of Comprehensive Nursing Research and Care, 4(152), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.33790/jcnrc1100152