Communication Communication is a central component of the nurse manager’s leadership.
The Joint Commis- sion, the organization that accredits hospitals, found that poor interprofessional communication was the cause of nearly 70 percent of unexpected events causing death or serious injury (Joint Commission, 2011).
Effective nurse managers can facilitate communication in groups by maintaining an atmo- sphere in which group members feel free to discuss concerns, make suggestions, critique ideas, and show respect and trust. An important leadership function related to communication is gatekeeping, that is, keeping communication channels open, refocusing attention on critical issues, identifying and processing conflict, fostering self-esteem, checking for understanding, actively seeking the participation of all group members, and suggesting procedures for discussing group problems.