Characteristics of Communication Competency in Nurse Managers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Highlights This systematic review identifies the defining characteristics of communication competency in nurse managers and clarifies its relevance as a core managerial capability in healthcare organizations. The findings show that this competency is structured around active listening, strategic communication planning, trust-building, transparency, and message clarity, and that its expression depends on organizational context, leadership behaviors, and healthcare complexity. What are the main findings? Communication competency in nurse managers is composed of 23 defining characteristics, with active listening, strategic multi-channel communication, trust-based relationships, transparency, and message clarity emerging as the most frequently reported elements. Communication competency is context-dependent and expressed through relational, strategic, behavioral, and organizational dimensions, including crisis communication, informal networks, staff buy-in, rural settings, alternative work arrangements, and digitally complex environments. What are the implications of the main findings? The identified characteristics provide a practical basis for designing competency-based leadership training, simulation-based learning activities, communication assessment tools, and professional development programs for nurse managers. Strengthening nurse managers’ communication competency may improve psychological safety, team cohesion, staff engagement, workforce retention, and the perceived quality and safety of care in increasingly complex healthcare organizations. Abstract Background: Communication competence is essential for nurse managers because it facilitates team coordination, organizational alignment, shared decision-making, and the quality and safety of care. Despite its acknowledged importance, the key traits of this competence have not been systematically summarized. Objective: We aimed to identify and describe the traits of communication competence among nurse managers in healthcare settings, determine the most frequently reported traits, and explore the contextual, behavioral, and organizational factors associated with its expression. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered with PROSPERO (CRD420261356065). Searches were performed in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and CINAHL, covering 1 January 2016 to 1 February 2026. Peer-reviewed studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods that addressed communication competence from the perspective of nurse managers were included. Data analysis involved a structured narrative synthesis that combined frequency analysis of identified traits with contextual analysis of communication competence. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. After comparison, grouping, and conceptual refinement, 23 communication traits were identified. The most frequently reported traits were Active Listening and Verification of Understanding, along with Strategic and Multi-Channel Communication Planning (each 10.14%), followed by Building Trust-Based Professional Relationships (9.18%), Open and Transparent Communication (8.21%), and Clear, Consistent, and Effective Message Design (7.73%). The results also indicated that communication competence is context-dependent and linked to organizational factors such as structural empowerment, shared decision-making, and managerial visibility. Empowering communication behaviors correlated with psychological empowerment, team cohesion, staff retention, and perceived improvements in quality of care. Conversely, limiting behaviors were associated with declines in trust, dignity, and professional functioning. Conclusions: Communication competence among nurse managers is not merely a peripheral interpersonal trait but a core managerial skill with a well-defined foundation. Its key elements suggest that this competence is built on responsiveness, strategic intentionality, and relational credibility. Therefore, communication competence should be viewed as an organizationally significant capability that directly affects team performance, workforce sustainability, psychological safety, and the quality of care. Implications for Nursing Management: Recognizing a core set of communication traits provides a useful basis for leadership training, simulation exercises, and managerial evaluations. Improving this skill could strengthen team unity, boost staff involvement, and enhance the quality of care as healthcare settings become more complex.