Course
NR527 Communication and Collaboration for Advanced Nursing Practice
Collaboration Café
Please watch the video from Sue Sheridan in which she describes medical errors that happened to her family that resulted in negative outcomes, and then answer the questions below.
Sue Sheridan’s StoryLinks to an external site.
Communication is such a basic concept, yet it is difficult for most of us to master. Describe a time when a patient error occurred in your clinical setting as a result of poor communication.
- What was the cause of the communication error?
- What were your reactions and/or feelings to this error?
- What could be a possible solution to the problem to prevent this from happening again?
How to Approach This Discussion
This discussion focuses on medical errors caused by communication breakdowns and your reflection as a nurse leader.
Structure your response into four clear sections:
1️⃣ Describe the Communication-Related Error
Select a real clinical situation where:
A delay, omission, or mistake occurred
Miscommunication contributed to the error
Patient safety was affected
Examples:
Delayed labs (e.g., troponins, EKGs)
Medication administration timing errors
Incorrect handoff information
Failure to escalate critical values
Incomplete shift report
Be specific about:
What happened
When it occurred
Who was involved in communication
2️⃣ Identify the Cause of the Communication Error
Analyze the root cause. Consider:
Incomplete handoff report
Lack of closed-loop communication
Failure to clarify orders
Poor documentation
Assumptions between departments
Hierarchy preventing speaking up
Tie your analysis to patient safety principles.
3️⃣ Reflect on Your Reaction and Feelings
Demonstrate professional insight by discussing:
Emotional response (concern, frustration, anxiety, guilt)
Patient advocacy perspective
Leadership growth from the experience
Awareness of system-level issues
Reflection is critical — this shows advanced practice maturity.
4️⃣ Propose a Solution
Provide a realistic and evidence-based solution such as:
Standardized SBAR handoff
Closed-loop communication
Mandatory read-back of critical orders
Huddles for high-risk patients
Improved EMR documentation alerts
Interdisciplinary communication training
Explain how the solution improves patient safety and reduces risk.
Key Concepts to Emphasize
Patient safety
Root cause analysis
Systems thinking
SBAR communication
Closed-loop communication
Accountability
Interdisciplinary teamwork
Sample Solution
Describe a time when a patient error occurred in your clinical setting as a result of poor communication.
We had a patient admitted to the floor for chest pain rule out from the ED. The normal procedures for this workup would include serial Troponin and serial EKG to be completed q6 hrs from the first. When this patient got to the floor, the communication was incorrect regarding the time troponin and ekg testing, and there was a delay of when the next one was done, by 2 hours. ……Click below to access the full discussion sample PDF