Nurse communication figures prominently in health
care team processes, with scholars arguing that nurses are
an essential link between the wide range of health care
professionals who provide patient care (Miller, Joseph, &
Apker, 2000). Traditionally, nursing roles have focused
on bedside communication, with nurses providing education
and emotional support for patients and their families.
Current nursing roles still include bedside communication,
but more recent considerations of nurse communication
show that modern nurses also must collaborate with
physicians, interact with allied health personnel, supervise
assistant personnel, and coordinate care among
disparate health care professions (Apker, 2001; Miller &
Apker, 2002).