commu.

1. PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH
COMMUNICATION

2. For teaching and health education to be effective, it is
important that all aspects of the communication context be
taken into account.
 The nurse should ensure physical comfort in an environment
that is quite and conductive to listening.
 The nurse should be aware of one’s interpersonal
environment surrounding as an act of communication. E.g. A
teenage girl may be shy to talk to a male nurse with issues
concerning sexuality.

3. The nurse should reassure the patient and make sure he/she
is at ease before embarking on their communication
Matters requiring a great deal of time should not be
discussed at a time when a lot of other activities involving
the patient are taking place. E.g. if a patient has to be told
about their expensive and in short supply treatment, they
should not be told at the time other activities such as taking
vital signs are being done.
Culture must be taken into account by a nurse