A SELECTIVE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON NURSE-PATIENT COMMUNICATION -HAS THE PATIENTS CONTRIBUTION BEEN NEGLECTED

The literature on nurse-patient communication is selectively reviewed. Previous research has been critical of the quality and quantity of nu rse-patient communication, describing it as brief and superficial. Nur ses are depicted as controlling and restricting the course and topics of conversations with patients. Communication skills training for nurs es has been advocated as a solution for this apparent deficit. In this paper it is argued that research has over-emphasized nurses' roles in nurse-patient communication, particularly their communication skills. The patients' contribution to the content and organization of nurse-p atient communication has been largely ignored. Assumptions have been m ade about nurses' and patients' intentions and motives during nurse-pa tient conversations, but the participants particularly patients, are r arely asked for their views. There has been a tendency to view nurse-p atient communication in terms of isolated excerpts of conversation. Wh en environmental and organizational factors are included, it is their effect on nurses' communication capability, not the patients', that ar e the interest. It is suggested that future research consider both pat ients' and nurses' contributions to nurse-patient communication.