An Examination of Communication Skills as a Challenge for Nursing Students:

Focusing on listening and speaking skills

Abstract

This study identified differences between nursing studentsʼ ideal and current communication skills and examined the communication skills that need to be addressed. A questionnaire survey was administered to a total of 220 undergraduate nursing students and nursing vocational school students, asking about their ideal and current listening and speaking skills. The results confirmed a significant trend toward higher scores for the ideal than for the current of listening that facilitates and confirms the speakerʼs speech. No difference was observed in the listening style in which the speaker was accompanied by an atmosphere or action that facilitated the speakerʼs speech. The ideal was significantly higher than the current for speaking with facial expressions and gestures that matched the content of the conversation and for speaking in a concise and well-paced manner, while no difference was observed for speaking with consideration for the relationship with the listener and the listenerʼs ease of listening and for speaking through personal experience and familiar examples. These results suggest that nonverbal communication and concise expression skills are potential problems for nursing students.