Communication in Nursing

What this page covers

This unit collects material on how nurses communicate with patients, families and the wider health team. A large share is about therapeutic communication: its characteristics, the nurse-client relationship, and the barriers and bridges that shape it. Other resources look at patient education, shared decision making, cultural boundaries and talking with adults.

Where to start

Begin with the note on AIDET. It explains a five-step framework: Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation and Thank You. Then open the SBAR slide set, which shows a simple way to frame urgent conversations with a clinician. Once those two feel familiar, move to the Therapeutic Communication mind map to see the wider picture in one view.

1. Read the AIDET note.
2. Work through the SBAR slides.
3. Open the Therapeutic Communication mind map.
4. Take a quiz.

Using quizzes and maps together

The quizzes use scenario questions. One asks what type of message a phrase is, and another asks what form of negative communication a nurse is showing when she shrugs. Try Therapeutic Communication Chapter 6 or Communication first. When you miss a question, go back to a mind map on the same idea and read that branch again. Then retry the quiz.

Flashcard decks suit short bursts. There are decks on AIDET, ISBAR, patient teaching and breaking bad news, along with module-style decks on communication skills and barriers.

For professional candidates

The page also lists the 2015 CDECB Sample Questions, which are useful if you are preparing for that certification. They are clinical rather than purely about communication, so treat them as extra practice.

Where this unit sits

This unit belongs to the strand Professional Foundations of Nursing, within the subject Nursing. Teachers can pick a mind map or note to set alongside a lesson. Choose one resource today and see how much you can explain without looking.