Based on my daily experience, clear, concise communication, trust, and agreement are achieved between most patients and nurses I know. Part of the problem is that today people aren't admitted to the hospital unless they are very sick. Yet, on a general medical floor, it is common to have one nurse serving six to ten patients. And in a typical intensive care unit, one nurse cares for one to three patients who are acutely ill. The combination of understaffing and the increased workload from sicker patients gives nurses less time to get to know their patients.
Nurses face the stress of providing compassionate advice in a hectic work environment.
Yet we are given a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our patients and their families. Nurses might have the opportunity, but they don't have time to take advantage of it. Patients are often discharged so quickly we rarely know the names of our nurses. Despite our differences, we believe that nurses can take a few steps to vastly improve communication between nurses and patients. Avoid jargon when talking with patients.