Nurse Manager Communication

Active listening is a crucial skill in nursing management.

Part of the difficulty inherent to the nurse manager's job, is that her job becomes more desk-based and less time is spent with the patient. Junior staff rely on the nurse manager to guide, advise and mentor them. But, in reality the manager cannot always spend as much time with the student as he might wish. The manager should use the available time to develop and promote good communication skills, as poor communication is at the heart of most complaints against the health services.

Being Approachable

The manager should spend time talking and listening to patients and staff. Handover, or report time, is the most obvious forum for exchange of views, but clinical governance meetings are another useful opportunity to sit and discuss issues. It is quite easy for the nurse manager to become remote from the ward floor as more information is stored on the computer, and there is a need to spend an increasing amount of time in the office. The manager should create time slots where he is available to talk to staff, and try to talk to patients on a daily basis.

Use of language

The manager should avoid using jargon and medical terminology which distances her from the patient. She should be empathetic and actively listen to both patients and staff. Appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills should be used, and a good manager needs to have an understanding of these. The manager needs to address barriers to communication and needs to have a very good knowledge of confidentiality issues. The manager should have an understanding of power relationships and attempt to overcome any barriers this presents.

The Environment

The nurse manager often works in a stressful environment where there is a need to think and respond quickly. This is not always conducive to good communication, therefore it is important to have debrief sessions where incidents are discussed in a calm environment and where constructive planning for future incidents can take place. The nurse manager should always deal with disciplinary matters in a correct way, following the institution's procedure.

Sensitive issues

The manager has to pass on bad news sometimes and needs to be emotionally prepared for this. Staff will come to the manager with personal problems, and the manager's response to this is crucially important not only to staff morale but to the whole effectiveness of the team. In turn, the manager needs to be able seek support from a trusted senior colleague, and good institutions provide a system whereby this can happen.

Dealing with complaints

The manager will inevitably have to deal with complaints, and must be able to respond in a calm and professional manner, while ensuring that the correct complaints procedure is followed. The communication skills of the manager are key to the performance of staff, the well-being of patients and the atmosphere within the care environment. Good interpersonal skills inspire confidence and help to avoid many situations escalating. The staff are likely to feel valued, to stay in their jobs and perform well.

References

• Nursing Times.net: Effective nurse managers ensure that staff have the opportunity to share skills