Impact of Communication Gap on Nurse Patient Interaction: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study Design

Abstract

Communication is a process of exchanging information by spoken and nonverbal signals, in which People interact with one another to form relationships. Without it, no one could survive. Communication is a crucial and necessary part of existence. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of the communication gap on nurse-patient interaction from nurses’ perspectives. The descriptive cross-sectional study design was conducted at SKBZ/ Combine Military Hospital Rawalakot Azad Kashmir. A non-probability convenient sample of 50 nurses both male and female nurses greater than two year working experience and age 25 – 60 years were consented to participate in the study and a structured questionnaire was used. Nurses working at clinical bedside were included in the study and those nurses working as administrator were excluded. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 22. There were 12% male and 88% females’ nurses, where the mean age and standard deviation was 31.32 Years ± 7.446 SD. Among 50 nurses, sixty-two (62%) participants belong to young age group between 25 – 30 years. Out of 50 nurses 62% were BScN degree holders and seventy percent (70%) nurses were experienced from less than 05 years to 10 years. The major communication gaps identified by respondents were 90% patient illiteracy,68% non-native language,78% inexperience nurses, 76% rotational duties 84% language barriers and 64% respondent were in favor of higher professional education. This study concludes that predominantly gaps identified by the Nurses perspectives effect on Nurse – Patient interaction is different language barrier, illiteracy of patient, gender differences, frequent visits of visitors, rotation duty and inexperienced nurses; hence, some areas need to be address for the improvement. Also, it was revealed that there was a communication gap between nurses and patients, which contributed to patient dissatisfaction.