Communication Skills and Related Factors in Health Care Providers

Communication skills have a significant impact on the medical, psychological, and social aspects of patient satisfaction. Furthermore, acquisition of these skills by the staff reduces their burnout level. The aim of this study was to evaluate the communication skills of medical personnel.

This descriptive study was performed on 280 medical personnel of Shahroud University of Medical Sciences in 2019. Data were collected through the standard Queendom Communication Skills Questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 34 items with the minimum score of 34 and the maximum score of 170. The data were analyzed using and T test.

The mean age of the participants was 32.52± 6.2 years and 82.3% of them were female. On average, the mean score of the communication skills of the participants was 107.94± 9. 3. Communication skill score was found to be optimal in this study. Mean work experience was significantly higher in the high communication skills group compared to the low communication skills group.

Based on the results of this study, communication skills of medical personnel was at a desired level. Due to the importance of communication skills in patients and staff, and for the improvement of these skills in newly-recruited staff, it is recommended that their communication skills be assessed and training workshops be regularly held.