Running head: COMMUNICATION

Communication
Salena Barnes, RN, BSN
NRSG 7410
Georgia College and State University

COMMUNICATION

Communication is a key component of the nursing profession and is essential to being

effective as a practitioner. Communication involves collaboration, partnerships, presentations,
and scholarly writing. As I have navigated through this program, I have grown in my abilities to
communicate effectively and confidently through participating in online discussions, clinical
practices, and the study abroad experience. I will reflected upon my communication abilities at
the onset as well as discuss my growth in this area. Specifically, I will outline the experiences
that have transitioned me from a BSN to an MSN practitioner.
The Beginning
At the onset of my journey to MSN nurse practitioner, I knew that communication was
important through my employment as a registered nurse. I have worked in a variety of settings to
include Medical-Surgical, Surgical Trauma ICU, Orthopedics, and at a Pain Management Clinic.
In these areas, collaboration with coworkers, physicians, and other disciplines proved essential
for positive patient outcomes. I knew that clear and concise instructions to unlicensed personnel
contributed to safe practices. Further, verifying illegible orders written by physicians proved to
save my patients life a time or two. I also collaborated with unlicensed personnel, physical
therapy, respiratory therapy and other members of the interdisciplinary team to ensure patient
safety and optimal care. I understood the importance of teamwork, especially during my time in
the Surgical Trauma ICU. We were interdependent on each other, especially during emergent
events. However, it was not until I came back for my MSN that I recognized how partnerships,
presentations, and scholarly writings would improve my abilities to communicate.

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3
Becoming More Proficient

Developing partnerships with members of my cohort through group projects and online
discussions helped to improve my communication skills. I learned that one of my strengths when
working in a group is keeping everyone connected through consistent communication.
Additionally, I learned that I have the ability to manage people, to help them to contribute their
best to a project, and to meet goals timely. In the past, I have always disliked group work
because of experiences in which one or two people within the group end up doing all of the
work. However, my experiences in this program have taught me how to negotiate roles, establish
deadlines, and maintain consistent communication. Overall, I have grown in this area and I
contribute it to improved communication skills.
Further, creating materials to present to my cohort has contributed to my ability to
communicate. In the past, I was terrified of standing in front of a group of people to present
information. During my practices as an RN, presenting information to people was a daily
occurrence, which helped to build my confidence. In this program, I grew stronger in this area
because I am more knowledgeable, articulate, and confident in my ability to provide safe care for
patients. Another activity that helped me to get over myself and speak more confidently in front
of people was my time at Daybreak. I cannot exactly identify the rationale for this, but when
attempting to interview and take care of these patients, I felt stronger and more confident in what
I had to say. I learned the importance of presenting information in an age appropriate manner or
by level of education to ensure effective communication. I believe this experience truly helped
me to dive into my new role as a nurse practitioner.
Finally, scholarly writing has aided in developing my communication skills. As a BSN
student, I did not particularly enjoy writing research papers. In some ways, I think I disliked it

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because the topics were assigned and I did not learn how to format with APA style. Yet, in this
program, the topics are flexible and I was able to choose something that I am truly interested in
learning more about. In addition, being taught how to format a paper in APA style and how to use
EndNote has changed my perception of scholarly writing. I understand the importance of nursing
research and being current on evidence based practices, as well as national guidelines. My
writing skills have improved significantly over the course of this program.
Meeting Program Outcomes
The biggest thing that I did to help myself meet the program outcome of communication
was to participate in as many experiences possible, especially the ones that got me outside of my
comfort zone. I participated in the study abroad trip to Honduras, which gave me a real life
perspective on how language can be a barrier to healthcare. It was also far outside of my comfort
zone! On this trip, I had the opportunity to demonstrate effective communication through
collaboration with classmates and partnering with local physicians and interpreters to help the
Hondurans receive much needed healthcare. Also, I learned it was important to be aware of my
body language when interacting with a culture unfamiliar to you. I know that a lot can be
communicated without saying a word. After the trip, I disseminated information about the
experience to my classmates that were unable to attend.
Furthermore, participating in precepted clinical rotations has helped me to meet the
communication outcome. At the beginning, I felt like I was a novice all over again. I felt nervous
and unsure as I began my clinical rotations. My preceptors were wonderful at providing
constructive feedback, which helped me to identify areas to improve upon. I was horrible at time
management when assessing patients, yet the collaboration with my preceptors helped me to
streamline my communication with the patient and improve my time management skills. In

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addition, through the partnerships that I developed with my preceptors, they would prompt me to
either ask an additional assessment question or perform an additional assessment if needed. The
relationships that I have with my preceptors has certainly contributed to improving my
communication skills and meeting this program outcome.
Doing More to Become More Proficient
To become more proficient at communicating, I could have been more active in SON
meetings with faculty. I could have sought out more opportunities to interact with more
populations that are diverse. In my opinion, the School of Nursing does a great job of teaching to
this outcome. However, I think more training on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to
Treatment (SBIRT) would be helpful. Personally, I felt slightly unprepared, especially during the
Mercer Standardized patient experience. The video presentation provided was informative, as
well as the group practice session, but it would have been more helpful to see faculty perform a
live demonstration. My suggestion would be for the simulation lab to create a scenario and allow
students to rotate through, first watching, and then doing to provide more practice before the
Mercer Standardized Patient experience. I further believe that having the video-feedback, as well
as faculty feedback, helped me to identify the weaknesses in my communications when
providing patient care during that experience. Initially, I was not excited about watching myself,
but it was an invaluable tool in being able to see myself in the role of a practioner. Research
demonstrates that video-feedback can improve some motivational interviewing skills
(Noordman, Weijden, & Dulmen, 2014).
I am excited to begin my new role as a nurse practitioner. I know that I am more effective
as a communicator because I am armed with the knowledge that allows me to assert best
practices and educate my patients accordingly. Moreover, I am more confident in my ability to

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collaborate with others, form partnerships with physicians, and continue presenting and
participating in scholarly writing.
References

Noordman, J., Weijden, T., & Dulmen, S. (2014). Effects of video-feedback on the
communication, clinical competence and motivational interviewing skills of practice
nurses: a pre-test posttest control group study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 70(10),
2272-2283 2212p. doi:10.1111/jan.12376