Intimidating behavior and deficient interpersonal skills create a culture of silence, where there can be a breakdown in team communications and an inability to collaborate and achieve high-quality outcomes. A study from VitalSmarts (Provo, Utah), Silence Kills: The Seven Crucial Conversations for Healthcare, described 7 crucial conversations healthcare professionals struggle with that contribute to patient harm and unacceptable error rates. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ first standard (from AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments: A Journey to Excellence), skilled communication, states: “Nurses must be as proficient in communication skills as they are in clinical skills.” Once it is accepted that being competent in skilled communication is essential to excellent patient care, it then takes skill development and added courage to hold crucial conversations and address difficult situations. The first step begins with a self-assessment to determine current effectiveness as a communicator and manager of conflict and to realize opportunities for growth. Three key strategies to begin the development of skilled communication include: (1) understanding the importance of a climate of safety, (2) acknowledging one’s mental stories, and (3) realizing that the only people we control are ourselves.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
1 July 2006
Features|
July 01 2006
Beginning the Journey to Skilled Communication
Denise Thornby, MS, RN, CNAA
Denise Thornby, MS, RN, CNAA
Denise Thornby is Director, Education and Professional Development, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, PO Box 980073, Richmond, VA 23298-0073 (e-mail: [email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
AACN Adv Crit Care (2006) 17 (3): 266–271.
Citation
Denise Thornby; Beginning the Journey to Skilled Communication. AACN Adv Crit Care 1 July 2006; 17 (3): 266–271. doi: https://doi.org/10.4037/15597768-2006-3005
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Short-term Access
Purchase short-term access on a pay-per-article or pay-per-issue basis.
$15 72 - hour single article access $30 7 - day full issue access
44
Views