As nurses, we are trained to bridge the gap between physicians and patients. In fact, we often serve as conduits of information, translating medical jargon into lay terms while simultaneously maintaining the integrity of the original message.

Nurses are in the perfect position to leverage their communication skills in the service of patient outcomes, and that ability to communicate clearly is one of our many individual and collective gifts.

Lost in translation

A nurse case manager is in the exam room or hospital room with a physician and patient. The physician is busy explaining his or her plan of treatment to the wide-eyed patient, and the nurse does her best to facilitate clear communication between the two parties.

When the doctor leaves the room, the nurse looks at the patient, reads his body language and facial expression, gleaning immediately that most of what the doctor conveyed went in one ear and out the other. In fact, it may not have penetrated the patient's fear and resistance whatsoever.

Checking in with the patient, it seems that the doctor's extensive use of complicated medical jargon caused the patient to barely hear a word of what was said. Thus, the nurse is now in the position of re-explaining the doctor's words in language that the patient can understand.

Does this sound familiar? It may not happen at every patient-doctor encounter, but it may be more common than we think. Enter the nurse as human conduit.

The human conduit

Patient education is a major nursing function. Using the nursing process, the nurse assesses the patient's understanding, formulates an appropriate nursing diagnosis (such as knowledge deficit), plans an intervention (based on the identified deficit), implements a plan (of education), and then evaluates the effectiveness of that intervention.

Upon reassessment, the aforementioned knowledge deficit is re-evaluated, and the plan of intervention is altered as needed in order to achieve the desired outcome. In the above case, the desired outcome is a goal of reduced knowledge deficit and increased patient understanding, empowerment and potential adherence to the physician's plan.

As a human conduit, the nurse translates the doctor's plan into understandable units of information, conveys that information to the patient and ascertains the patient's ability to comprehend that plan, and the actions and desired outcomes therein.

In this process, the nurse acts as a conduit of information and knowledge, and patient outcomes are positively impacted by the nurse's skilled intervention.

Nursing as a means to patient empowerment

Patient empowerment may seem like a buzzword, but its effects are measurable. When the nurse successfully intervenes as a translator and conduit, the patient is brought into the process of medical care through clear, concise communication. The nurse utilizes verbal and nonverbal communication as a skilled intervention, keeping the goal of successful implementation of the treatment plan in mind.

When a patient is empowered by the nurse with such clear information, the nurse's value as a communicator and patient advocate is affirmed, and the patient's value as a true member of the care team is established.

The nurse is a conduit of information while also being the conduit through which patient education and empowerment is attained.

The nurse speaks

A skilled nurse uses his or her powers of communication in a proactive effort to directly impact patient care and outcomes. A thoughtful and forward-thinking nurse supervisor or manager recognizes, encourages and acknowledges such skilled intervention.

While the nurse's role may not be outwardly appreciated or clearly understood by the physician, the nurse contributes to the conversation between the physician, patient and other members of the team by facilitating understanding and bridging knowledge gaps that could otherwise thwart the plan of treatment.

This role as informational conduit may be unsung in its importance, but nurses (and savvy physicians and nurse managers) recognize the crucial nature of the nurse's position as patient advocate. Savvy healthcare leaders recognize that the nurse's ability to educate and communicate with graceful ease is one of the lubricants that grease the wheels of the healthcare system. Such a so-called "soft skill" like communication, while often overlooked in terms of its importance, is immeasurably essential to the satisfactory outcomes sought by all involved.

The nurse listens. The nurse speaks. The nurse assesses, diagnoses, plans, implements, evaluates, reevaluates and implements again. This process is not rocket science, yet the value of the nurse's ability to perform such a service is intrinsic to positive outcomes, and nurses everywhere contribute to successful and empowering conversations on a daily basis.