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Nurses' nonverbal methods of communicating with patients in the terminal phase.

AIM
The aim of this study was to ascertain what methods of communication nurses use during interactions with patients nearing the end of their lives, with a particular focus on nonverbal communication.


METHODOLOGY
A questionnaire containing 24 questions was completed by 95 nurses working in one of five hospices in Poland.


RESULTS
A total of 48% of the sample reported frequently using nonverbal communication consciously and with a certain aim, and a further 37 (39%) reported that they sometimes use it. The sample's responses indicate that for patients the best form of touch is holding hands. In addition, 63% of the respondents stated that they had been educated in communicating with palliative care patients, but only 56% thought that nurses' communication knowledge and skills were satisfactory, and 50% would like to undergo training in communication skills specific to palliative care.


CONCLUSION
Most nurses are aware of the importance of nonverbal communication to their interactions with palliative care patients, but a substantial proportion think that they need to be better educated in theoretical and practical aspects of communication.