The nursing Code of Ethics states that a nurse ought to be compassionate, and respectful (American Nurses Association, 2021). As a mother/baby nurse, compassion, sympathy, and gentle guidance is important for this major life event. Some caring attributes MB nurses can show for their patients are patience, as most of these mothers are first-time mothers, and this may be an exhaustive, and hormonal process for them. Gentle guidance with patience as they may have questions, and the role of the postpartum nurse is to guide them and make them confident when they take their newborn home.
Some attributes that are important to have and have an impact on anyone you come across (patients, coworkers, etc), are the ability to roll with the flow; being assertive or outspoken so that you may advocate for your patient and yourself adequately. Smiling, patience, easy going are also good attributes as it allows others to open and warm up to you. Being a great listener is also important for patients, as you must hear their concerns and escalate rather than dismiss it.
SBAR is a universal and concise way for all healthcare workers to get their message across. Effective communication also requires listening and allowing others to finish before speaking. It helps to not be defensive as being understanding and compassionate allows for trust between nurse-patients and nurses with interdisciplinary staff.
The American Nurses Association (2021) states that effective communication is important for all areas of professional practice, and states that nurses should “demonstrate cultural humility, professionalism, and respect when communicating” (p. 94). It also states that “disclosing and reporting concerns related to potential or actual hazards or deviations from standard of care” (p. 95) is essential for the safety of the patient. Effective communication is an important quality of a nurse because it allows for teachings and ability to inform the patient and their family members of their medical illness or disease (Aydin Er et al., 2017). Communication is also displayed nonverbally, as facial expressions, tone, and body language can also reveal a lot.
