Core communication competencies in patient-centered care.

Effective communication between the patient and nurse is an essential requirement for nursing practice and for patient-centered care. Nursing faculty that teach in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs play a significant role in preparing the nursing workforce to communicate effectively and provide patient-centered care. Patient-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, and informatics are necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes for nurses across educational levels in order to meet the needs of patients, and improve the quality and safety of the health care system environment. The focus of this article is to provide information on core nursing competencies for effective communication and to discuss communication tools used in patient-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, and informatics.