Nurse survey warns poor hospital communication harms care

Firstup has published a survey of 1,000 US hospital nurses that links workplace communication failures with higher staff stress, retention risks, and reported impacts on patient care. The company's State of Nursing Communication Report examines how hospital updates reach nurses and how they respond to those messages. The findings highlight significant gaps between the volume of communication sent and the amount of information staff are actually able to absorb during their shifts.

In the survey, nine in 10 nurses said they had learned about new policies or procedures only after they had already taken effect at least once. Nearly half of the respondents stated that this had happened several times or more, suggesting a persistent breakdown in how critical information is disseminated within clinical environments.

The report further reveals that while 70% of nurses receive updates several times a week, nearly half find the content only somewhat relevant to their specific roles. This lack of targeting leads approximately two-thirds of staff to skim or delete messages entirely. Critically, 81% of respondents attributed patient care issues, such as treatment delays or inefficient handovers, to miscommunication from senior leadership.

These communication hurdles are also driving a retention crisis, with roughly a third of nurses considering leaving their current unit and over 20% contemplating leaving the profession altogether. The survey found that 86% of hospitals still rely on email as their primary tool, a method that often fails "deskless" workers who lack the time to check inboxes during a high-pressure shift. Firstup CEO Bill Schuh noted that when communication systems break down, it directly undermines the ability of staff to make rapid, informed decisions for their patients.

Many nurses said they receive updates frequently. Nearly 70% reported getting workplace updates several times a week or more. Almost half said those communications felt only "somewhat" relevant to their jobs.

Because relevance and timing often miss the mark, many nurses said they do not fully read messages. The survey found that 67% skim or delete workplace messages at least sometimes without reading the content fully. One in four said they do it often.

Email Reliance

The survey shows that hospitals still lean on conventional channels. Email ranked as the top communication method, cited by 86% of nurses. A further 25% said they still receive paper notices.

Firstup's data also indicates that nurses struggle to find time and energy for updates. One-third of respondents said they do not have time to read updates. A further 19% reported a lack of motivation, and 13% said they feel disengaged from their hospital.

Confidence in the effectiveness of these approaches appeared limited. About 48% of nurses said they were only "somewhat confident" that their hospital's communication efforts keep nurses compliant with required policies and procedures.

The survey also points to the types of information that get missed. It found that 16% of nurses had missed updates on safety protocols. It also reported that 10% had overlooked HIPAA or compliance information.

Patient Care

Nurses linked communication problems with operational issues on the ward. In the survey, 81% reported experiencing patient care issues due to miscommunication or lack of communication from a manager or senior leadership.

Those reported issues included inefficient handoffs or transitions of care, cited by 33% of nurses. Delays in patient care or treatment followed at 31%. Increased patient complaints or dissatisfaction appeared at 30%.

Firstup positioned communication as a key factor in clinical execution.

"Nurses are doing everything they can to care for patients in incredibly demanding conditions, but they are being asked to navigate communication systems that were not designed for clinical environments," said Bill Schuh, Chief Executive Officer, Firstup.

"Hospitals depend on nurses to make rapid, informed decisions and deliver high-quality patient care," said Schuh.

"Nurses depend on timely, relevant information to do their jobs safely, effectively, and compassionately," said Schuh.

"When communication breaks down, the entire system breaks down - and any lapse can negatively impact patient care or lead to costly incidents," said Schuh.

Retention Pressure

The survey also connects communication issues to workforce outcomes. Eighty-eight percent of nurses said miscommunication or lack of communication from a manager or senior leadership had caused workplace issues.

Reported effects included increased stress or burnout, cited by 52% of nurses. Some 32% said it increased their desire to leave their department or unit. A further 21% said it increased their desire to leave the profession altogether.

Miscommunication also showed up in collaboration scores. Forty percent of nurses said miscommunication from a manager or senior leadership decreased collaboration.

The survey suggests that managers and supervisors play a central role in how information lands. It found that 50% of nurses receive important workplace updates directly from their managers and supervisors.

Beyond policy changes, nurses also flagged other areas where communication falls short. Roughly 38% said their hospital's communication about staffing changes, new equipment or technology, safety protocols and onboarding needs improvement or is only somewhat effective.

Modernisation Push

Firstup markets a workforce communication and engagement platform. It frames the report as evidence that hospitals need to rethink how they reach frontline clinical staff across shifts.

"No one wants to hear the words 'somewhat effective' or 'somewhat confident' in a hospital setting. Our findings serve as a wake-up call for hospital leadership that communication cannot be an administrative afterthought," said Melissa Hensley, Vice President, Healthcare, Firstup.

"Modern, intelligent approaches, focused on personalised communication and engagement that reaches nurses where they are, when they need it, are a crucial business imperative for operational excellence, risk mitigation, the retention of nursing staff, and, most importantly, patient care," said Hensley.

Firstup stated that it conducted the survey among US-based nurses working in hospital settings, including those in full-time, part-time, and travel nurse roles. The research was carried out via Pollfish, an online survey platform.