Abstract

Purpose: To examine how effect of nurses’ empowerment on communication skills and professional stress and the quality of patient care in cardiac care unit. Design: The present clinical trial was conducted on 50 nurses divided into an intervention and control groups at the CCUs of Mazandaran Heart Center in Sari, Iran, in 2016-2017. As well as four patients per a nurses were included before and after the intervention. Methods:50 nurses into an intervention and control groups at the CCUs.A 16-hour workshop on nurse empowerment was held about communication skills and professional stress management and four patients per a nurses were included. Data were collected using the Health Professional Communication Skills Scale, the Nursing Stress Scale and the Quality of care scale and were then analyzed using the independent t-test, Wilcoxon’s test and Mann-Whitney’s U-test. Findings: Significant difference were found mean scores of communication skills and professional stress between the nurses in intervention and control (P<0.001).The greatest change after the intervention was observed in the“social skills” of communication skills and the “uncertainty concerning treatment” domain of professional stress.A significant difference was reported in the mean scores of the quality of care after the intervention (P<0.001).Nurse empowerment led to the greatest change in the“communicational”subscale of the quality of patient care. Conclusion: The empowerment of nurses is an effective method for improving their communication skills, reducing their professional stress and increasing the quality of patient care. Clinical Relevance: This study highlights the psychological empowerment of nurse's role as strategies to promote and supports higher quality of patient care.