This case studies book is an indispensable resource for educators, students, and practitioners of nursing. It is innovative in its application of lessons from the communication sciences to common challenges in the delivery of safe patient care. The authors apply basic tenets of human communication to the context of nursing to provide a foundation for practices that can advance the safety and quality of care.

The cases, which describe "close calls" and adverse events, are organized along the continuum of healthcare delivery, providing quick access to solutions in commonly encountered care situations. Each case is accompanied by a discussion of how skillful communication can be key to preventing and recovering from errors and adverse events. Thought-provoking discussion questions and references for further reading make this book a valuable reference for nursing educators, students, and practitioners across the world.

• Foreword 6
• List of Abbreviations 8
• Contents 10
• Preface 14
• Part I: Principles and challenges of healthcare quality, patient safety, and interpersonal communication 26
• 1. Healthcare quality and patient safety – A global perspective 26
• 2. Myths and truths of human communication 33
• 3. Communication topics in healthcare quality and patient safety 51
• 4. Interpersonal communication: Challenges, processes, and issues 58
• 5. The Hannawa SACCIA typology: Five core competencies that constitute “safe communication” 70
• 6. Lessons from communication science 82
• Stage 1: Data collection 88
• Part II: Case studies across six stages of nursing practice 88
• Stage 2: Assessment/diagnosis 114
• Stage 3: Planning 144