Effects of a Support Program on Nurses' Communication with Hospitalized Children's Families

More than a few pediatric nurses experience difficulty in communicating with children's family members. However, effective means of providing communication support for pediatric nurses have not been examined sufficiently. This study aimed to develop and implement a communication support program for nurses to facilitate improved communication with families of hospitalized children, and to clarify changes in nurses' recognition and behavior toward communication with families in clinical settings. The program lasted 6 months and consisted of lectures, role-play, 4 communication models in which nurses experienced difficulty communicating with family members, and continued individual support. The effects of the program were evaluated qualitatively and descriptively using semi-structured interviews. A total of 7 nurses with less than 5 years of pediatric nursing experience completed the program. Subsequent to program completion, nurses' awareness of careful communication with families increased, and they began to approach families actively using thoughtful words. Furthermore, as nurses received favorable reactions from families, they realized that communication was interactive and recognized that their perception of their communication skills as poor had changed. This program could contribute in reducing nurses' difficulty in communicating with families and encourage them to improve their communication.