Introduction

Medical communication is the process of communication between healthcare professionals and patients and their relatives, as well as between healthcare professionals (in medical teams). The aim of the study was self-assessment of possible communication problems between nurses and oncological patients.

Material and methods

The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey method in a group of 200 nurses working with oncology patients using an original survey questionnaire (General – 4 questions, Communication problems with oncology patients – 32 questions).

Results

49.5% of nurses stated that they did not have enough time to talk with patients. According to 71%, the biggest communication challenges for patients included anxiety and stress, misunderstanding medical information, lack of concentration, and a negative attitude towards the conversation. For nurses, the biggest challenges were talking about the diagnosis, terminal condition, and discussing complications. Consultations/conversations with a psychologist/psycho-oncologist would be helpful in preparing cancer patients for conversations with healthcare professionals and would constitute the best form of communication support. Most nurses acknowledged their own communication skill deficiencies, acknowledged poor access to material that could aid communication with patients, and admitted that they lacked sufficient courses in this field during their studies.

Conclusions

It is essential to include mental health specialists in the daily care of oncology patients and to organise short psychoeducational interventions to prepare patients for conversations with staff and to increase nursing staff’s awareness of the importance of therapeutic communication.