Communication Skills Levels of Nursing Students

Introduction and Objective: Communication is the way through which people express themselves, feelings and thoughts and understand others. Communication skills can be defined as an open and clear speech conducting a single emotional input or output, or a combination of active listening, empathy and conversation techniques. Nursing which is one of the professions based on interpersonal relationship completely depends on communication skills. In this study, we aimed to determine communication skills of nursing students in the Selcuk University, Health Sciences Faculty, and to investigate whether these skills differ according to socio-demographic and educational features.

Methods: The study population consisted of 690 students having education in the Selcuk University, Department of Nursing and conducted between 01/03/2018 and 30/04/2018. Data were collected using Personal Description Form and Communication Skills Inventory. Data were analysed using t-test and One-Way ANOVA tests.

Results: Of the students; 83.8% were girls, 87.8% had nuclear family, 49.9% had 3 or more siblings, 16.2% had an monthly income higher than expenditure, 24.8% were in Grade 4, 85.5% had received communication training, and 36.3% were academically successful. Being girl, having nuclear family, low number of siblings, a monthly income higher than expenditure, and academic success increased communication skills (p<0.05), while parenteral education level, place of living during college years, school grade, receiving communication training, and high school variables did not affect the scale scores (p>0.05).

Conclusion and Recommendation: Boys, those with extended family, having 3 or more siblings, a monthly income lower / equal compared to expenditure, and academically unsuccessful students were in the risk group. We recommend that counselling and new trainings should be provided for students in the risk group in order to develop their communication skills, and theoretical courses should be supported with practice / laboratory works.

Keywords: Nursing Students; Communication Skills; Communication; Communication Skills Inventory.