Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
OBJECTIVES: This systematic review was undertaken to summarise the methods used to measure the quality of nurses' communication with adult patients during acute hospitalisation, and the quality of nurses' communication. METHODS: The clinical questions and search strategy were structured using the PICO model. The initial search was undertaken across five databases during August 2024: MEDLINE, CINAHL, COCHRANE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Peer-reviewed journal articles that reported on the measurement of the quality of nurses' communication with patients in acute hospital settings were retained if they were published between 2014 and 2024, and written in English. Original studies that utilised nurse self-report surveys were excluded. The Framework for Critiquing Health Research was used to assess the quality of included manuscripts. RESULTS: A total of 15 articles met the inclusion criteria, including six observational studies and nine cross-sectional survey studies. Most studies (n = 13) were conducted in countries where English is not the first language. Variation in the type of outcome measurement tools was identified, which limited scope to synthesise the evidence for quality of nurses' communication. For the six observational studies, a different tool was used in each study to measure the quality of nurses' communication skills. For the nine survey-based studies, seven different tools were used. The overall quality of nurses' communication skills was measured in five studies. Lower ratings were identified for non-verbal communication skills and empathic communication. CONCLUSIONS: Limited evidence exists regarding the quality of nurses' communication. Educational strategies are needed to improve nurses' non-verbal and empathic communication skills when interacting with patients in acute hospital settings. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The development of standardised and validated tools, which include, consensus regarding essential skills for nurses, is necessary to enhance the strength and reliability of the evidence base.
SULAIMI et al. (Fri,) studied this question.