A Model of Factors Determining Nurses' Attitudes towards Learning Communicative Competences

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development
• Communication Skills Training

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial for nurses to provide quality patient care.
• Nurses require specialized training to enhance their communicative competences.
• Understanding the factors influencing nurses' attitudes towards acquiring these skills is essential for optimizing training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess an empirical model of factors influencing nurses' attitudes towards acquiring communicative competences.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of specialist training courses in enhancing nurses' communication skills.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 1010 Polish registered nurses participating in specialist training.
• Data collected via self-report surveys including NEO-PI-R, Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS), and Empathy Understanding Questionnaire (KRE II).
• Path analysis was used to evaluate the theoretical model.

Main Results:

• The theoretical model was confirmed as sound (χ² = 0.278, p = 0.598, RMSEA < 0.05).
• Key determinants for acquiring communicative competences in nurses include professional experience, empathic tendency, and agreeableness.
• These factors form a homogeneous network influencing skill acquisition.

Conclusions:

• Professional experience, empathy, and agreeableness are significant predictors of nurses' attitudes towards communicative competences.
• Positive mentoring in the work environment is the most effective strategy for shaping these skills.
• The findings support the development of targeted training interventions for nurses.