The Art of Communication in Nursing and Health Care

In an era of increasing reliance on technology, it is essential that the fundamentals of compassion and good communication remain at the heart of healthcare. This clear, concise guide to professional communication strategies helps nurses and other clinicians build effective relationships with patients and navigate the many difficult interactions between patients and professionals. The book addresses such complex issues as dealing with challenging patients, maintaining professional boundaries, overcoming biases and stereotypes, managing emotions, communicating bad news and much more. The book guides the reader through a conceptual framework for building effective relationships based on mindfulness principles. The principles are embedded in discussions of the basic elements of interpersonal effectiveness, such as hope, empathy and listening. Chapters apply the principles of mindfulness to specific challenging situations with concrete examples that describe effective clinical behaviours, as well as situations that present pitfalls that can hinder compassionate care. Short, detailed chapters help clinicians translate their clinical knowledge and good intentions into caring behaviours that allow the patient to more fully experience empathy and compassion.