NURS9711 Advanced Communication

2012

4.5

1 x 3-hour independent study weekly
1 x 2-hour on-line exercises weekly

Undergraduate level communication theory and skills.

This topic provides an opportunity for Registered Nurses to enhance their communication skills within the context of a leadership role in a clinical/community organisational unit. Communicating with a diverse range of people as part of an interdisciplinary team will be a core emphasis in the topic. It will include cultural, psychological and social aspects of communication. The topic will focus on advanced communication skills related to team leading and team building, conflict resolution, counselling, professional interactions and relationships, human resource management and group work. Contemporary communication technology will also be considered as it relates to professional practice.

The aims of this topic are to enable students to:

• Communicate effectively at an advanced level

• Apply knowledge and skills of advanced communication in their clinical/community working environment

• Use advanced communication skills to influence and manage a nursing team, multidisciplinary team and/or management team within their clinical/community environment

• Plan, analyse, and think critically about their communication, knowledge and behaviour

• Apply advanced communication skills to facilitate group-based problem solving and implementation of solutions

• Communicate with a high degree of accuracy and precision in all forms of communication media

• Delegate effectively using advanced communication skills

• Engage in ongoing self-directed learning related to advanced communication theory and skills.

Students will acquire further knowledge of advanced communication theory and practice, improve leadership qualities and develop effective advanced communication strategies for leadership, clinical decision making, and management for clinical/community environments as part of an inter-professional team in a multicultural context.

On completion of this topic students will be able to:

• Access up to date, evidence-based knowledge about advanced communication

• Resolve conflict through effective communication

• Engage in counselling and multicultural communication using advanced communication skills and strategies

• Effectively delegate

• Identify and improve ineffective communication practices

• Effectively communicate using a variety of verbal and non-verbal skills and strategies

• Use contemporary communication technology for effective communication

• Evaluate the quality of communication

• Critically analyse and resolve a communication problem

• Reflect on personal communication style

• Initiate and manage changes in communication strategies within the workplace.