Abstract:
This paper reports on the design, delivery and evaluation of an innovative
oral communication skills program for first year students in a Bachelor of Nursing
degree at an Australian university. This program was introduced in 2004 to meet
the needs of first year undergraduate students from non-English speaking backgrounds
who had experienced difficulties with spoken English while on clinical placement.
The program consisted of early identification of students in need of
communication development, a series of classes incorporated into the degree program
to address students’ needs, followed by a clinical placement block. This paper
describes the structure of the program, discusses some of the major problems
encountered by students in the clinical setting and presents some of the teaching
strategies used to address these problems. Evaluations of the program suggest that
students’ communication skills and confidence improved, resulting in a more positive
clinical experience for the majority of students.
