2007 Volume 16 Issue 3 Pages 1-11
The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of nurses’ communication skills in terms of the relationship between verbal and nonverbal skills by analysis of nurse-patient interaction scenes. We video-recorded 81 scenes of clinical practice by 27 nurses, observed nonverbal communication（patient-directed eyegaze, head nodding, smiling, forward lean, affective touch, and instrumental touch ） and verbal communication based on Roter’s Interaction Analysis System（25 items consisting of relationship skills, partnering skills, data gathering skills, and patient educational counseling skills）, and performed analysis using the Behavior Coding System. As a result, the nurses mainly used patient-directed eyegaze and head nodding as nonverbal communication, and accepting/general leads and the provision of information on treatment as verbal communication skills. Concerning the relationship between verbal and nonverbal communication, there was a significant correlation between head nodding or smiling and relationship skills. Data gathering skills and patient educational counseling skills were significantly frequently used before and after patient-directed eyegaze, and relationship skills were significantly frequently used before and after smiling.
Thus, communication skills of nurses in nursing practice were characterized by the mutual supplementation and promotion of verbal and nonverbal communication skills. These findings suggest the necessity for educational methods for communication skills with considerations for not only verbal but also nonverbal communication skills.
