Effect of the planned therapeutic communication program on therapeutic communication skills of pediatric nurses

Abstract

Background: Therapeutic communication is the basis of interactive relationships among health team and their patients: that affords opportunities to establish rapport, understand the client’s experience, formulate individualized or client interventions and optimize health care resources. Aim: this study was carried out to assess the effect of a planned therapeutic communication program on therapeutic communication skills of pediatric nurses.

Methods: Setting: the study was carried out at Shebin El kom and Benha University hospitals. Research design: a quasi experimental research design was utilized. Sample: all staff nurses (132) who are working at the previously mentioned settings were included. Tools: Two tools were used for data collection. Tool one: a therapeutic communication questionnaire:  consisting of two parts: (a) Socio-demographic structured questionnaire to obtain demographic data of the studied sample and (b) a structured therapeutic communication knowledge questionnaire to assess nurses’ knowledge pre and post therapeutic communication program. Tool two is a five points Likert-scale structured check list used to assess the degree of improvement in pediatric nurses’ skills and practice of therapeutic communication.

Results: The results of this study showed a positive statistical  significant correlation between total knowledge score and total practice score of nurses’ therapeutic  communication skills at each measurement time (pre: r = 0.52, p < .00; post: r = 0.53, p < .001). Also, a highly statistical significant improvement in pediatric nurses’ knowledge, practice and skills regarding therapeutic communication was found p < .001.

Conclusions: It was concluded that pediatric nurses had significant improvement in their knowledge and skills regarding therapeutic communication with their hospitalized child patients after utilization of a planned  therapeutic communication program. Recommendation: Continuously implement advanced therapeutic communication programs for pediatric nurses to enhance safe and healthy interactions, foster trust and improve recovery of their hospitalized children.