title: Communication skills training for emergency nurses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of a communication skills training program on emergency nurses and patient satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen emergency nurses attended a 6-week psychoeducation program that was intended to improve their communication skills. The first 3 sessions of the psychoeducation program consisted of theoretical education on empathy and communication. Other sessions covered awareness, active communication, and empathic skills on a cognitive behavioral basis using discussion, role play, and homework within an interactive group. The effects of the program were assessed using a communication skills scale, empathy scale, and patient satisfaction survey and were reflected by the reduction in the number of undesirable events between nurses and patients in the emergency department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean communication skill score (177.8±20) increased to 198.8±15 after training (p=0.001). Empathy score also increased from 25.7±7 to 32.6±6 (p=0.001). The patient satisfaction survey of 429 patients demonstrated increased scores on confidence in the nurses (76.4±11.2 to 84.6±8.3; p=0.01); the nurse's respect, kindness, and thoughtfulness (72.2± 8.1 to 82.1 ± 6,5; p=0.01); individualized attention (71.3± 6.2 to 73.2 ± 9.8; p=0.2); devotion of adequate time to listening (84.6± 9.3 to 89.8 ± 7.6; p=0.03); and counseling and information delivery (71.1± 10.2 to 80.2 ± 9.7; p=0.01). The number of undesirable events and complaints during nurse-patient interactions decreased 66 % from 6 to 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  "Communication Skills Training" can improve emergency nurses' communication and empathy skills with a corresponding increase in patient satisfaction and reduction of the undesirable events and complaints during nurse-patient interactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Gulhane Military Medical Academy, GATA Psikiyatri AD.06018 Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. drmehmetak@gmail.com
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ak
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cinar
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sutcigil
authors.forename: Emel Dovyap
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Congologlu
authors.forename: Bikem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haciomeroglu
authors.forename: Hayri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Canbaz
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaprak
authors.forename: Loni
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jay
authors.forename: Kamil Nahit
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Ozmenler
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D016529:Emergency Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011361:Professional Competence; D000078329:Workforce