Therapeutic communication, of which nonverbal communication is a vital component, is an essential skill for professional nurses. The aim of this study is to assess the possibility of incorporating computer analysis programs into nursing education programs to improve the nonverbal communication skills of those preparing to become professional nurses. In this pilot observational study, the research team developed a computer program for nonverbal communication analysis including facial expressions and poses. The video clip data captured during nursing simulation practice by 10 3rd- and 4th-grade nursing students at a university in South Korea involved two scenarios of communication with a child's mother regarding the child's pre- and post-catheterization care. The dominant facial expressions varied, with sadness (30.73%), surprise (30.14%), and fear (24.11%) being the most prevalent, while happiness (7.96%) and disgust (6.79%) were less common. The participants generally made eye contact with the mother, but there were no instances of light touch by hand and the physical distance for nonverbal communication situations was outside the typical range. These results confirm the potential use of facial expression and pose analysis programs for communication education in nursing practice.
Keywords: facial expression; nonverbal communication; nursing education; nursing students; pilot study; simulation training.