Good communication is a hallmark of safe practice and great teamwork – find out how to adapt your style to the needs of patients and the demands of busy healthcare teams

Good communication is one of the cornerstones of safe and effective nursing practice.

This is highlighted by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code , which emphasises the need to communicate clearly with patients using a range of verbal and non-verbal methods, and ensure we are maintaining effective communication with colleagues.

How to apply communication theory in practice

As nursing students, we learn about communication theory in university, such as how to communicate effectively,