How can effective communication and relationships be built and maintained with nurse executives during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic?

From the Guidelines

Effective communication and relationships with nurse executives during the COVID-19 pandemic can be built and maintained through skilled communication, authentic leadership, and meaningful recognition, as outlined in the Healthy Work Environment Framework 1. To achieve this, leaders should provide frequent, transparent communication regarding topics of concern, such as staffing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and patient care strategies. Some key strategies include:

• Facilitating means for communication with families and caregivers during times of limited visitation, providing appropriate technology and resources
• Practicing closed-loop communication, particularly when working with staff from other areas
• Ensuring basic physical needs of staff, such as safety, food, hydration, rest, and access to resources for wellness and self-care
• Providing support to families of staff, including daycare, logistical support, and vaccination
• Implementing just-in-time recognition strategies, such as creating unit-themed stickers or challenge coins, gratitude boards, and letters or cards from community members
• Ensuring sufficient rest between work periods, team staffing with clear delegation of responsibilities, and team huddles at shift change and prescribed intervals
• Identifying team leads with strong clinical skills, knowledge of organizational policy, and strong interpersonal skills
• Engaging team members in discussion of policies and procedures that impact them
• Using just-in-time strategies for supporting the interdisciplinary team, such as "the pause" after a patient death and after-shift huddles to review the events of the day By implementing these strategies, healthcare organizations can foster trust, collaboration, and resilience among nurse executives, ultimately improving patient care outcomes during the pandemic 1.

From the Research

Building Effective Communication and Relationships with Nurse Executives during COVID-19

• Effective communication is crucial in building and maintaining relationships with nurse executives during the COVID-19 pandemic, as highlighted in studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
• The pandemic has created a sense of urgency, requiring organizations to quickly alter their operational plans and protocols to support measures that increase capacity and establish a culture of safe care and clear communication 3
• Nurse executives have played a key role in spearheading change, with leadership skills including a flexible approach, courageous decision-making, and taking calculated risks 2

Key Factors in Effective Communication

• Presence, education, and emotional support are essential to effective communication, as identified in a study of nurse participants during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic 3
• Communication has turned into an essential tool to maintain professional relationships and culminate in collaboration and cooperation of the team in order to provide a close relationship with the user and promote the quality of health care processes 4
• Non-verbal communication was more affected due to the use of Personal Protective Equipment and the initial fear of infection, with this finding strongly observed in departments such as emergencies or critical care 5

Role of Technology in Communication

• Information and communication technology (ICT) can help reduce nurses' burden by facilitating environmental management and non-contact communication and providing emotional support for patients 6
• ICT-based nursing care systems can improve the quality of care for quarantined patients and reduce the risk of cross-infection 6
• The use of real-time videoconferencing, mobile robots, and artificial intelligence can reduce burnout and infection risks by minimizing face-to-face contact 6

Maintaining Relationships and Communication

• Responding to the COVID-19 health crisis required substantial effort, but historical and industrial limits on nursing practice were removed, allowing for innovative work practices and new opportunities 2
• Nursing executives have been able to lead policy development and delivery of care models in new and established healthcare settings, supporting patient and staff safety 2
• The creation of mutual support spaces and group cohesion of work teams during the pandemic has been associated with positive emotional aspects and improved communication 5