Need and benefit of communication training for NICU nurses

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of a new communication course for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses on nurses' confidence in communicating with families, and to explore communication-related issues experienced by the nurses and their relationship to burnout. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-nine nurses participated in an interactive course based on communication cases from the NICU. Participants' experience of communication with parents was assessed. They completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Self-reported communication skills were assessed before and after the course and at four-month follow-up. RESULTS: Only one nurse reported previous nursing-related communication training. High burnout scores were associated with communication-related difficulties, especially lack of time for communication. The course improved participants' confidence in their communication skills in challenging situations, including those where parents express distress or ask questions the nurse cannot answer. Participants found the course highly interesting, useful and necessary for their work. CONCLUSION: Interactive, learner-centered training addressing issues specific to communication at the NICU was effective and highly appreciated. INNOVATION: The course centered on a unique variety of reality-based communication cases from the NICU, relevant to the nurses' work and stimulating their reflection. An innovative feature was the emphasis on nurses' perspective and the importance of communication for their coping.