Synopsis

Acclaimed for its strong theoretical framework and consistent organization, Arnold and Boggs' Interpersonal Relationships: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses, 6th Edition, remains the definitive resource in developing effective communication with clients, families, and colleagues in order to achieve treatment goals in health care. This two-time AJN Book of the Year award-winner is thoroughly updated and includes current references describing how to modify communications strategies for various populations and situations including children, the elderly, end of life, health teaching, stress, crisis, and colleagues. Two new chapters address issues in contemporary health care related to promoting health safety and supporting continuity of care. Not only does this book present proven communications strategies and principles in nursing, psychology, and related theoretical frameworks, but also it challenges you to apply these strategies and principles to numerous exercises and practical nursing case studies. Written in terms of the nurse-client relationship, the cutting-edge communications strategies presented are key for nursing students and professional nurses.

• Covers all mandated topics for nursing professionals, from beginning students to staff development in a variety of settings, including professional collaboration, health team communication, patient-centered care, safety, and hand-off communication.

• Discusses nursing, behavioral, developmental, family, and communication theories, providing an essential foundation and a theoretical perspective of effective communication.

• Offers basic concepts first, followed by applications with emphasis on assessment, providing a sound framework as you prepare for nurse-client interactions.

• Experiential exercises offer the opportunity to practice, observe and critically evaluate your professional communication skills in a safe learning environment.

• Critical Thinking Exercises promote critical thinking processes essential for effective communication in nursing practice.

• Includes case examples throughout, creating empathy for clients' perspectives and needs.

• Offers Ethical Dilemma and Developing an Evidence-Based Practice boxes in each chapter.

• Describes how best to use the electronic health record for clear communication with current information on classification systems, standards of documentation, and telehealth technologies used in nursing.

• Acknowledges humor, gender, and touch as important means of communication in interpersonal relationships.

• Increases awareness of the issues involved in communicating with individuals of various stages of life, clients with special needs, and colleagues in all areas of health care.

• Provides learning objectives, chapter overviews, and a detailed glossary — all designed to focus your learning and help you organize key content.

• A timely NEW Communicating for a Safe Environment chapter provides practice guidelines in line with The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals on improved communication among caregivers.

• NEW Communicating for Continuity of Care chapter defines COC and describes current challenges, and addresses its relational, informational, and management dimensions.

• Enhanced discussion on spirituality and end-of-life needs focuses on trust, empathy, and the nurse-client relationship — all central components of holistic nursing identified by The Joint Commission as priorities for patient care.

Reviewer: Marilyn Sample, B.S. and M.S. (Indiana State University)
Description: This book provides current and relevant information to assist nurses in communicating with individuals, groups, families, colleagues, and clients with specific special needs. The previous edition was published in 1999.
Purpose: The authors' objectives are to provide a "theory and practice basis for interactions among nurse, client, and health care system related to each client's health and well-being." The fourth edition "has been revised to reflect current trends in health care...." The authors accomplish their objectives by updating the reference lists and revising the book appropriately. A new feature of this book is that each chapter ends with a box containing an ethical dilemma from the authors' own nursing experiences. The boxes, along with the various tables and numerous practice exercises add to relevance of this book.
Audience: This book is an important resource for practicing nurses, nursing educators, and nursing students. The psychosocial focus of the book presents various concepts and theories that are relevant to any practice area or clinical course in a nursing curriculum. The authors' credentials and their appointments suggest that they are credible authorities in the subject matter.
Features: The book presents relevant theoretical perspectives foundational to understanding such topics as self-concept, ethical decision making, the nurse-client relationship, and therapeutic communication. It devotes chapters to conflict resolution, the impact of a person's culture on communication and the concept of health teaching. Each chapter ends with the presentation of an ethical dilemma from the authors' own nursing experiences. There are also many realistic client case examples in most chapters which enrich the reader's understanding of the content. The pages of the book are formatted well and the use of various hues of blue in contrast to the white pages is eye-pleasing.
Assessment: This is a valuable resource containing the presentation of theory written at level that can be utilized by any nurse in any practice area. There is an appropriate use of photographs, tables, boxes, diagrams, practice exercises and case studies that help the reader assimilate the information and apply it to client situations and needs. The authors are correct to write a fourth edition in order to accommodate the need of readers to update their knowledge base due to the changes in the provision of health care.

Biography