I just came across a great piece on communication in Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing. The author, Lisa A. Miller CNM, JD, is an educator who is “obsessed with communication.” As nurses, I think we all need to have a bit of an obsession with communication – it’s a big part of what we do! How we communicate with patients, caregivers, and our colleagues is important for both patient and staff satisfaction. 

Think about a recent day at work. Now pick an interaction that occurred between you and another person or persons. Was it a positive or negative interaction? Could it have been improved and if so, how? 

In her editorial, Ms. Miller identifies the following three principles for communication:

Communication Principle #1: It's not you against them, it's you against you.

Communication Principle #2: Don't take it personally.

Communication Principle #3: Know what you are talking about before you start talking.

Take a few minutes to go back and read the article in its entirety. It’s a quick-read and well worth it!

Reference:
Miller L. A. (2013). Can we talk? Musings on communication. The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing, 27(2), 193–194. https://doi.org/10.1097/JPN.0b013e31828ee826