Effects of communication barriers on Patient Safety - Nursing Perspective : a descriptive literature review

Abstract

Communication breakdowns are responsible for 70% of the most serious adverse effects that occur in medical settings. Patient safety is a subfield of healthcare that focuses on the prevention and reduction of mistakes, hazards, and damage that a patient may be exposed to while receiving medical treatment. Healthcare providers who communicate well reduce errors, omissions, and misunderstandings, therefore improving patient safety and results.

The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to describe how communication affects patient safety from a nursing perspective. The aim of the study is to produce knowledge that will improve patient safety and serve the nursing field in the future.

This thesis, conducted through a literature review, included 10 studies from different countries. Those articles were selected by conducting thorough search through two databases: CINAHL AND PUBMED Those studies were conducted between 2018 and 2023. The selected articles were analyzed using inductive content analysis.

The results showed different kinds of communication barriers between nurses and patients, such as language barriers and lack of communication skills, nurse-other healthcare professionals’ barriers, cultural barriers, and work environment barriers, in addition to their consequential effects on patient safety.

In conclusion, the results show that this literature review closely aligns with the research theme of the thesis, "Effects of communication barriers on Patient Safety: A Nursing Perspective," providing insights on the diverse communication barriers and their consequential effects on patient safety. It demonstrates how effective communication impacts the well-being of nurses and shapes the culture of patient safety in healthcare environments. Further studies are needed to improve communication and, hence, patient safety.