Assessment of Nursing Students' Communication Skills

Communication is vital in all areas of nursing: prevention, treatment, therapy, rehabilitation, education, and health promotion. This descriptive, longitudinal study aimed to assess nursing students' attitudes toward learning communication skills, perceived importance of nursing communication, and caring efficacy. A self-administered questionnaire was used with a convenience sample to collect data from nursing students and nurse interns. No significant differences over time were found for students' attitudes toward learning communication skills or perceived importance of communication; interns reported higher scores for caring efficacy. Nursing students need to be strong communicators in clinical practice to deal with patients' needs, anxieties, and concerns.