Self-Reported Communication Practices among Nurses in Surgical Wards of Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital, Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study
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Objective: This study aimed to describe nurses’ self-reported communication practices across ten domains in the surgical wards of Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital, Iraq.
Methods and Materials: This single-center cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among nurses working in surgical wards at Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital, Babylon Province, Iraq, from May 22 to September 1, 2025. A convenience sample of 104 nurses completed a modified 45-item self-report communication questionnaire covering verbal communication, nonverbal communication, active listening, written communication, presentation, patient education, personal connections, trust, cultural awareness, and compassion. The instrument was reviewed by 18 experts, and the total Cronbach’s alpha was reported as .70. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations.
Findings: Overall, 36 nurses (34.6%) were classified as poor, 47 (45.2%) as fair, and 21 (20.2%) as good in total communication ratings. Poor classifications were most frequent for making personal connections (78.8%), nonverbal communication (76.0%), presentation skills (68.3%), patient education (61.5%), and active listening (56.7%). In contrast, good classifications were most frequent for written communication (74.0%) and trust (65.4%). Cultural awareness and compassion were rated as good by 45.2% and 43.3% of participants, respectively. The reported mean for personal connections was internally inconsistent and should not be interpreted without item-level verification.
Conclusion: Nurses’ self-reported communication ratings indicated several areas requiring further assessment, especially rapport, nonverbal communication, presentation, patient education, and listening. Stronger conclusions require validated instruments, behavioral observation, and patient-based evaluation.
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