Communication is an integral component of professional nursing practice. This unit focuses on the key elements of effective communication, and the concepts of empathy, compassion and person centredness in creating meaningful communication. It focuses on respectful culturally safe communication that meets legal requirements including consent and confidentiality, respects diversity and individual perspectives and promotes reflection on practice.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Recognise the diversity and complexity of communication in health care organisations and articulate the stakeholders in health care contexts including clients, their significant others, health professionals and professional and regulatory bodies;
2. Implement clear, evidence based and best practice strategies when communicating with clients of all ages, their significant others and health professionals to facilitate mutual respect and shared decision-making and promote quality outcomes for clients;
3. Demonstrate the ability to use verbal and non-verbal communication skills to convey respect and empathy, and to encourage clients to express their feelings and needs, while at the same time maintaining professional boundaries;
4. Explain the mutual benefit of partnering with consumers in the planning, design, delivery, measurement and evaluation of services that is respectful of a person's individual needs, values and life experiences; and
5. Reflect on the use of self within communication, recognising existing personal perceptions and values and the importance of culturally safe care.

Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Incompatible units

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.