The objective of the present study was to determine the subjective impact of the pandemic due to COVID-19 on communication, as perceived by nurses working at emergency services and Intensive Care Units at various hospitals in the Region of Murcia (Spain). A qualitative study was conducted based on the content analysis of 12 semi-structured individual interviews. The participant recruitment process was performed through a snowball sampling technique. Four main dimensions, eleven categories, and two sub-categories were obtained: (1) communication (communicative expressions, both verbal and non-verbal-, and limitations); (2) emotional aspects (positive, negative); (3) overload (first wave, second wave, and third wave); and (4) relationships (health professionals–patients, healthcare professionals, patients–family, and family–health professionals). The main findings of the study show that communication was slightly affected during the pandemic, especially the non-verbal kind, with verbal communication maintained and, in some occasions, strengthened. The lack of training in communication skills and its influence on the management of difficult periods was another important finding. Communication in general deteriorated during the pandemic, especially during the initial waves. Non-verbal communication was more affected due to the use of Personal Protective Equipment and the initial fear of infection, with this finding strongly observed in departments such as emergencies or critical care. The nurses who were interviewed underlined negative emotional aspects associated with a deficit in communication. The positive aspects described were associated with the creation of mutual support spaces and the group cohesion of the work teams during the pandemic. As an implication for current and future clinical practice, we recommend a coordinated institutional response to mitigate the potential emotional effects on workers by designing appropriate communication and emotional expression protocols.

(1) Background: Clinical simulation is an educational approach that aims to replicate real-life scenarios. Its primary goal is to help nursing students acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to perform effectively in clinical settings. This study focuses on the relationship between communication skills, evidence-based practice (EBP), and clinical simulation. We aimed to assess how communication skills and EBP competencies affect nursing students’ performance in simulated clinical scenarios. (2) Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional study with 180 third-year nursing students at the University of Murcia. We used validated instruments to evaluate the students’ EBP competencies, communication skills, non-technical skills, and nursing interventions in simulated scenarios. (3) Results: The results showed that the students had varying competencies in EBP and communication skills. However, there was a positive and statistically significant correlation (p < 0.001) between these variables, non-technical skills, and the simulated clinical scenario nursing interventions. Our regression models revealed that communication skills and EBP competence significantly influenced the performance of the student nurses regarding their clinical and non-technical skills in the simulated scenarios. (4) Conclusions: Communication skills and EBP competencies predict performance in simulated scenarios for nursing students.

To develop and validate a tool to assess the non-technical skills of medical and surgical hospital units undergraduate nursing students. In the area of healthcare, non-technical skills complement technical ones, and contribute to patient safety. High-fidelity simulation is an ideal resource for working on these skills. Thus, evaluation instruments are needed to understand the efficiency of this methodology. Although many evaluation instruments already exist, none measure non-technical skills of undergraduate nursing students in medical and surgical hospital units. An instrumental study design was employed. Two-phases were used to develop and validate the scale: 1) Scale development. A group of experts defined the dimensions and components. Afterwards, the content was validated by experts, and a pilot study was conducted with undergraduate Nursing students. 2) Analysis of the psychometric properties of the scale. A total of 393 students were evaluated in high-fidelity simulation scenarios by three evaluators, through the use of the Non-Technical Skills in Medical and Surgical Hospital Units (NTS-Nursing) Scale. The content validity indexes were adequate for the total of the items and the total of the scale. The statistical descriptors of the items, the internal structure, and the reliability (internal consistency and inter-evaluator reliability) were analyzed, as well as the external evidence of validity, with adequate values obtained. The NTS-Nursing scale is a valid and reliable instrument. Its structure of 10 items makes its use fast and easy.

(1) The COVID-19 pandemic has had many consequences on health systems worldwide. In the Spanish health system, telephone-based consultations were coupled to in-person consultations. This type of consultation was mainly a challenge for the primary care teams, who had to assume the greatest load of care provision. The objective of the present study was to discover the satisfaction and perception of health professionals related to a training program on efficient communication based on high-fidelity simulation. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study based on a convergent and parallel mixed method. The satisfaction and perception of 275 health professionals associated with COVID-19 training based on the structured communication model CERCAR© was analyzed. (3) Results: The assessment of the satisfaction with the training and methodology was high. With respect to the transfer of information, the participants gave a high score to the categories of consolidation of learning, applicability to their work, and benefits for the institution. The qualitative results supported these findings. (4) Conclusions: The training program and its virtual modality were well received, and had a high degree of transference. The application of active, online learning methodologies is a relevant format for continuous education.