Communication, how important is a nurse's communication skills while treating diagnosed cancer patients? Should nurses have additional training to communicate with patients not only in a professional manner but to show respect and provide comfort and trust to these patients struggling through a life threatening disease? While reading an article in the "Journal of Advanced Nursing", an investigation was conducted in reference to the imbalance between affective (pertaining to emotion, mood, or feeling) and instrumental (pertaining to a task) communication. They had three hospitals out of Netherlands participate in this study. The investigation included 53 registered nurses that were tested on their communication skills with simulated cancer patients. These nurses were recruited from different specialty areas and all had experience in dealing with cancer patients.
             Each nurse had script that was a standard procedure, an admission interview was performed and each participant's script was adjusted to his/her own field of specialty. The simulated cancer patient went thru the real emotion of an actual cancer patient coping thru this disease. Her emotions were of anger, denial, and anxiety. Each nurse had gone thru some stress prior to the procedure. Afterward, they stated that they forgot they were with an actor and were being videotaped. The researcher concluded that stress did not affect their emotional performance.
             During the admission interview with the patient it is important to show respect, compassion, and empathy in order to give these patients encouragement to cope with this disease. This helps to build a relationship with the patient and allow them to disclose their deepest concerns and fears. There are also nonverbal affective behaviors that are important between the nurse and patient relationship; they include direct eye contact, affirmative head nodding, smiling, and leaning forward, and even affective touch. T...