NR 447 Week 8 Communication and Patient Safety Skills in Nursing

Introduction:

This article reflects on the author’s experience of self-assessment using the AACN essentials. It highlights the improvements in various areas—achieving the course outcome related to implementing patient safety and quality improvement initiatives. Effective communication in healthcare is emphasized, highlighting its role in promoting patient safety, preventing medical errors, and fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals.

Enhancing Communication and Leadership Skills:

The author acknowledges the positive impact of the course and self-assessment in building confidence and focus. Notably, the area that has shown the most improvement is communication. The author attributes this improvement to acquiring leadership skills, which have facilitated better communication with co-workers and patients. As a relatively new nurse, the author feels more comfortable in their leadership abilities, believing that it will equip them to handle any situation they may encounter in their future career. The author recognizes the importance of self-belief and overcoming the fear of failure to continue improving their leadership skills and effectively carry out their responsibilities as nurses and future leaders.

Achievement of Course Outcome: Patient Safety and Quality Improvement:

The author identifies the course outcome they have achieved, which revolves around implementing patient safety and quality improvement initiatives within an interprofessional team through effective communication and relationship building. The author highlights their accomplishments in patient teaching and collaboration with patients’ home healthcare aides (HHA) to enhance patient safety, prevent falls, and ensure medication compliance. Additionally, the author mentions improving interprofessional communication by actively contacting their supervisor, seeking guidance, and addressing any concerns or issues encountered in the field.

NR 447 Week 8 Communication and Patient Safety Skills in Nursing

Importance of Effective Communication for Patient Safety:

The article emphasizes the critical role of effective communication in ensuring patient safety. Citing O’Daniel et al. (2008), it is highlighted that inadequate communication among healthcare professionals poses risks to patient safety due to various factors such as lack of critical information, misinterpretation of data, unclear telephone orders, and failure to recognize changes in a patient’s status. Poor communication often leads to medical errors, which can have severe consequences and are prevalent across healthcare settings. In contrast, effective communication fosters collaboration, teamwork, and error prevention. It encourages the sharing of critical information, enables clear and accurate communication of orders, and facilitates timely response to patient condition changes (O’Daniel et al., 2008).

Conclusion:

The journey of self-assessment and learning has significantly improved the author’s communication and leadership skills. Through the course, the author has achieved the desired outcome of implementing patient safety and quality improvement initiatives through effective communication within the interprofessional team. Recognizing the essential role of communication in patient safety, the author highlights the risks associated with poor communication and the need for effective communication to prevent medical errors and promote teamwork. By continuing to foster effective communication and leadership skills, the author aims to provide the best possible care to patients and contribute to a safer and more efficient healthcare system.

Reference

Chamberlain College of Nursing (2018). NR-447: RN Collaborative Healthcare. Week 8 Lesson [online lesson] Downers Grove, IL: DeVry Education Group. O’Daniel M, Rosenstein AH. Professional Communication and Team Collaboration. In: Hughes RG, editor. (US); 2008 Apr. Chapter 33. Retrieve from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NB2637/