Ibero-American Consensus on Communication Skills for Nursing Degree students

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Nursing Education
• Clinical Communication

Background:

• Nursing, as a healthcare profession, fundamentally relies on effective communication skills.
• Standardizing clinical communication learning outcomes is crucial for undergraduate nursing education, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries.
• Existing curricula may lack a unified approach to teaching essential communication competencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a set of learning outcomes for clinical communication in undergraduate nursing curricula.
• To achieve international expert consensus on these proposed learning outcomes.
• To provide a unified framework for nursing education in Spanish-speaking regions.

Main Methods:

• A steering committee developed an initial list of communication skills for nursing.
• International scientific advisers reviewed and refined the proposal.
• A modified Delphi consensus process involving 70 experts from 14 countries was conducted over two survey rounds, with statistical analysis to determine consensus.

Main Results:

• A questionnaire comprising 68 learning outcomes for clinical communication was assessed by the expert panel.
• Statistical consensus was achieved on all assessed items in the first Delphi round.
• No second round was necessary, indicating strong agreement among experts.

Conclusions:

• An academic proposal for clinical communication learning outcomes has been established through high-level international consensus.
• This proposal serves to guide and unify the clinical communication curriculum for undergraduate nursing studies in Spanish-speaking countries.
• The consensus ensures a relevant and comprehensive set of outcomes for future nursing professionals.