Despite the implementation of several communication programs for nurses working in hospitals, no evidence-based systematic review has yet been conducted on their efficacy.

In this systematic review of communication programs for nurses, we searched for literature published between 2011 and 2020 in four foreign databases and one domestic database (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and RISS). The papers identified were evaluated on their quality using Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). The main search terms included “nurse”, “communication”, “program”, and “intervention.” Thirteen articles were included in the final analysis.

The communication programs utilized various teaching methods – such as simulation, reflection, and debriefing – with a majority of these programs significantly improving participants’ communication skills and performance. However, the overall quality of the studies was low concerning the randomization process and measurement; relatively few studies made use of online education methods. All variables assessed using self-reported measures were significant, but not all showed significant results when using objective measures as assessed by the evaluators.

The study’s findings suggest a need for programs dealing with nurses’ communication with health care providers in diverse clinical settings and online-based simulation programs. Moreover, high-quality literature applying the randomization process and measurement is required. Additionally, it is necessary to use both subjective and objective measures to evaluate the overall communication capacities of nurses and reflect the contextual characteristics of various clinical settings.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects a cognitive behavioral intervention on perceived stress, somatic symptoms, automatic negative thoughts and dysfunctional attitudes in college students.

This was a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group design. Students who agreed to participate in the study and had a total score of 7 or greater on the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 were asked to choose one of the two groups to attend: Experimental and control groups. Students in the experimental group (N=17) received 5-weekly group sessions of the intervention, each of which lasted 60 minutes. The interventions were not provided to the control group (N=15). Students in both groups were asked to complete a set of questionnaires at baseline and five weeks. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and repeated measures ANOVA were performed.

There was a significant interaction between time and group for perceived stress, somatic symptoms and automatic negative thoughts. Dysfunctional attitudes, on the other hand, were not significantly different by group.

The findings showed that the intervention was effective for college students suffering from perceived stress and somatic symptoms. In particular, the significant decrease in automatic negative thoughts among students in the intervention group suggests that the effect of the cognitive-behavioral intervention was mediated by the cognitive factors of somatic symptoms.