RESUMO
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of communication competence and burnout on nursing performance in intensive care units (ICU). METHOD: The participants were 209 nurses from four university hospitals. Measurements included a socio-demographic and job related survey, communication competence inventory, the Maslach burnout inventory and a nursing performance scale. Data were collected from February 6 to 24, 2012, with a self-report questionnaire. The statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 18.0 software. RESULTS: The mean scores for communication competence, burnout and nursing performance were 50.49, 84.72, and 62.18, respectively. Communication competence (r=.44, p<.001) and burn out (r=-.32, p<.001) were significantly correlated with nursing performance. In the multiple linear regression, factors influencing nursing performance were communication competence, age and burnout. These variables explained about 46% of the total variance of nursing performance. Communication competence (beta=.34, p%.001) was the most influential factor. CONCLUSION: Nurses' poor communication skills and burnout can influence the occurrences of medical errors in ICU nursing performance. The results suggest that good communication and burnout resolution skills programs should be implemented to improve nursing performance efficiency.