More Than Words: Communication as a Core Nursing Competency and Leadership Imperative
Communicate with clarity. Strengthen teamwork. Drive meaningful outcomes.
This 1.0 contact hour, on-demand course offers a practical path forward.
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You entered nursing to make a difference...
You are not just communicating information.
You influence how care is delivered, how teams function, and how decisions are made.
As a nurse, whether in practice, leadership, or education, you shape the quality of communication every day.
And yet…
In today’s healthcare environments:
• Communication happens under pressure
• Teams are interdisciplinary and fast-moving
• Hierarchies still influence who speaks and who is heard
• Expectations are high but guidance is often limited
And too often, communication breaks down in the moments that matter most..
This is where the gap lives.
Not in intelligence.
Not in commitment.
But in the ability to communicate clearly, consistently, and effectively within complex, real-world systems.
Communication is frequently described as a “soft skill.”
But in practice, it is anything but.
The result:
• Preventable errors and near misses
• Fragmented teamwork and misalignment
• Decreased psychological safety
• Frustration, disengagement, and burnout
This course addresses that gap, at its foundation.
What This Course Is About
More Than Words: Communication as a Core Nursing Competency and Leadership Imperative is a 1.0 contact hour, on-demand webinar designed for:
• Nurse leaders shaping team communication culture
• Nurses navigating complex clinical interactions
• Faculty preparing students for real-world practice
This course addresses the broader communication systems that shape safety, teamwork, and outcomes across healthcare environments.
This is more than communication training. It is core competency and leadership work.
Through evidence-informed frameworks, real-world scenarios, and practical application, you'll learn how to:
• Communicate with clarity in high-stakes situations
• Recognize and address barriers at individual, team, and system levels
• Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration
• Apply structured tools (SBAR, TeamSTEPPS®, I-PASS) effectively
• Foster psychological safety and inclusive communication
Why this matters
When communication improves:
• Patient safety improves
• Team coordination strengthens
• Decision making becomes clearer
• Trust and engagement increase
• Stress and conflict decrease
Communication is not just an individual skill.
It is a system driver.
What makes this course different?
Unlike generic communication courses, this webinar:
• Frames communication as a clinical and leadership competency, not a soft skill
• Addresses communication across individual, team, and organizational levels
• Integrates structured tools with relational awareness
• Focuses on practical strategies that work in real clinical environments
Course Experience
• One contact hour
• On-demand, self-paced webinar (60 minutes) with immediate access
• Recorded presentation with slides and guided reflection
• Downloadable workbook included
• Post-test and evaluation required for contact hour
Key Takeaways
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
• Describe the role of communication as a core clinical and leadership competency in nursing practice across care, education, and research settings.
• Analyze common barriers and facilitators to effective communication at the individual, team, and organizational levels.
• Develop a plan to incorporate role-specific communication strategies that enhance clarity, collaboration, and decision making.
Imagine Leading With...
✓ Greater clarity and confidence in complex conversations
✓ Practical tools to improve teamwork and reduce misunderstandings
✓ Strategies to support psychological safety
✓ A stronger, more intentional professional voice
Ready to strengthen communication in your practice and your team?
If you want to shift from navigating communication challenges to leading communication that shapes outcomes, this course will meet you there.
Enroll today for $29 and earn 1.0 contact hours. Immediate access. Learn on your schedule.
1.0 Contact Hour For RNs, LPNs, APRNs:
Maureen Metzger is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the Florida State Board of Nursing. This course offering is approved for 1.0 contact hours applicable for APRN, RN or LPN relicensure. Florida State Board of Nursing Provider Number: 50-53447.
Course Description:
More Than Words: Communication as a Core Nursing Competency and Leadership Imperative is a 1.0 contact hour, on-demand webinar designed for nurse leaders, clinical nurses, and faculty who want to strengthen communication and foster psychological safety, thereby improving outcomes for patients, students, teams and organizations.
Strong communication is essential to safe, effective nursing practice and team-based care. Yet breakdowns in communication remain a leading cause of medical errors, staff dissatisfaction, and poor outcomes. Nurses at all levels need practical, evidence-based strategies to navigate complex interactions, support collaborative decision making, and foster a culture of respect and trust.
This course addresses that need by framing communication as a core competency, not just a soft skill, and offering tools that can be applied across clinical, leadership, educational, and research roles. In doing so, it supports nurse well-being, strengthens team performance, and enhances the quality of patient care.
Learners will explore common barriers and facilitators to effective communication and will learn how to apply evidence-based tools to real-world scenarios.
By the end of the course, participants will leave with greater confidence, actionable tools they can apply immediately, and a deeper understanding of communication as a powerful clinical and leadership intervention.
"It's not the load that breaks you down.
It's the way you carry it."
Lena Horne
Meet Your Guide
Maureen Metzger, PhD, RN, is a nurse, educator, and professional coach with more than four decades of experience in healthcare. Her work focuses on communication, decision-making, and helping nurses and leaders engage in meaningful, effective interactions in complex environments.
Her clinical background includes extensive work with patients and families facing advanced chronic illness. She is a nurse scientist whose research focused on communication, decision-making, and interventions that empower individuals to participate meaningfully in care.
An award-winning educator and trusted coach to nurses, nurse leaders, and educators nationwide, Maureen integrates evidence-based practice, coaching psychology, and deep respect for the relational heart of nursing.
Her work is grounded in a simple belief: nurses deserve to thrive while doing meaningful work.
Contact her at [email protected]
