Differences in Communication Behaviours of Shy and Non-Shy Student Nurses in Situations With Evaluative Potential

Abstract

Communication experts have been aware for some time that shy persons have varying degrees of difficulty interacting with others in social situations (Buss, 1980; Friedman, 1980; McCroskey, 1981; Pilkonis, 1977(a), 1977(b)). In nursing, effective communication is essential because the execution of all phases of the nursing process depends on the data obtained and transmitted in client-nurse interactions. The quality of nursing care can be diminished if a nurse's ability to use communication skills is inhibited or deficient. Thus, the demonstration of skill in communication is a high-priority objective of most nursing programs. The implication, for nursing educators, is that early diagnosis of problems through careful evaluation in the clinical area is necessary, so that remedial action may be instituted. The objective evaluation of nursing skills in the clinical area is a common concern of nursing teachers. It is particularly difficult to assess the skills of shy, retiring students. Their tendency to avoid the teacher's scrutiny makes determining the extent to which their shyness may decrease effective communication with their patients more difficult. Although communication experts have studied the relationships between shyness and inappropriate communication behaviours in various student groups, it has not been a topic for consideration in nursing research (Amatu, 1981; McCroskey, 1977; Pilkonis, 1977(a); Zimbardo, 1977).