The Effects of an Informational Program on Communication Skills of Professional Nurses at Phayao Hospital

Abstract

              This research was a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design intended to: 1) compare the mean scores of communication skills before and after participating in the program for professional nurses, and 2) compare the mean scores of communication skills before and after participating in the program between the control and experimental group at Phayao Hospital, Thailand. Participants were divided into an experimental group (n = 23) and a control group (n = 23). The control group operated normally. The experimental group participated in an informational program on communication skills developed from the SMCR and effective communication concepts, including keynote, effective speaking, and communicative touch. Data were collected using questionnaires regarding the communication skills of professional nurses and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-test.

              The results showed that 1) an informational program can improve the communication skills of professional nurses, and 2) the mean score for communication skills after completing the program was statistically significantly higher than before participating in the program (p < .01).

              Therefore, this study suggests that administrators should continuously develop communication skills for nurses to enhance effective communication among the health team. Also, such communication skills should be developed in other similar organizations where high-quality nursing services are needed.