Assessment of effectiveness of a communication skills program for nursing students

ABSTRACT

Effective communication promotes the quality of nursing healthcare; therefore, communication skills are considered a basic tool in nursing (Bloomfield & Pegram, 2015). One challenge nursing students and newly-graduated nurses encounter is to improve those skills (Sheldon & Hilaire, 2015; Theisen & Sandau, 2013). In Portu-gal, intervention programs addressing these competences among nurses are scar-ce (e.g., Torres, Soares, Ferreira & Graça, 2016; Lopes, Azeredo & Rodrigues, 2013). The purpose of our research is to assess the effectiveness of a communication skills program for nursing students, and also to analyze the impact of the following varia-bles perceived importance of communication skills for nursing, perceived compe-tence on communicational skills, emotional intelligence, and empathy. To address these goals we will conduct a quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group pre-posttest design. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention program, participants will complete a communication skills test (pre-test and post-test). Participants will rate the importance and self proficiency in communication skills using a 6-point scale. To measure emotional intelligence and empathy we will use Portuguese versions of the following scales WLEIS - Wong and Law Emotional Scale (Carvalho, Guerrero, Chambel & Gonzáles-Rico, 2016; Wong & Law, 2002), and IRI - Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1983; Limpo, Alves & Castro, 2010). The results we present here will contribute to the understanding of variables that in-fluence communication skills among nurses, as well as pedagogical strategies that can effectively enhance those abilities

RESUMEN

No disponible