Watch this video: Nursing simulation scenario: Managing incivility

Review this document, which explains the DESC Communication Model Download DESC Communication Model.

• Discuss ways to share this communication model with nursing staff at Herzing Hospital. How will you ensure the model is used properly?
• The nurses who are causing incivility may be the least likely to apply the DESC model to their professional interactions. How can you identify these individuals, and support their development?
• Discuss why new/novice nurses might be hesitant to use the DESC model. How can you (or other leaders within Herzing Hospital) address this hesitancy?

I copied and pasted the DESC Communication Model for your reference.

DESC Communication Tool
D – Describe the behavior
E – Explain the effect of the behavior
S – State the desired outcome
C – Consequence: say what will happen if the behavior continues
(Cox 2007)
Some people prefer to memorize the key words that represent this model because it gives them a
consistent structure to follow:
D When . . .
E I feel . . . because . . .
S Therefore, I want/need . . .
C So that . . .
Nurses can apply the model to communicate effectively when confronting unprofessional
behavior in several situations. Here are a couple examples of the DESC model in action,
answering questions frequently asked by staff nurses.
1. How do I talk to an experienced nurse when she makes it obvious in many ways that she
has no time, patience, or empathy for my concerns?
D “I noticed today that you seemed bothered by my questions, and I felt in the way.”
E “I understand you have a heavy workload, but when you ignore me, I feel terrible. I feel
unimportant and get the message that you wish I wasn’t here.
S “I need to find some way or some time when I can connect with you. I want to learn and
be the best nurse I can be.”
C “If you continue to ignore me and act like I am in the way, I can’t stay. I love nursing, but
I simply can’t learn in this environment.”
2. What do you say after you hear that someone has been backstabbing you?
D “I’d like to talk with you in private. I heard from another nurse that you said I didn’t
know what I was doing, that I am a terrible nurse.”
E “When I hear that someone has been saying things about me and I don’t know why, or
even what situation it pertains to, I feel sabotaged and set up to fail.”
S “I want to be a good nurse, and I can’t do that without your honest feedback and support.
Can you say what you feel and think directly to me in private?”
C “Without that support, I am sure to fail. I will have to find another place to work, even
though this is the specialty I had chosen.” (Bartholomew 2007)