Communication is central to palliative care. It unifies all nursing practice, and plays an integral role in the operationalization of palliative care. To deliver quality palliative care, it is paramount that nurses have adequate communication skills. Positive patient outcomes are derived when communication between the nurse and patient is effective. Ineffective communication may result in inaccurate information on treatment/medication increase patient risks and may cause patient dissatisfaction with care. It is therefore necessary to be familiar with the facilitators and barriers that influence communication.

This study aimed to describe barriers and facilitators of effective communication between nurses and patients receiving palliative care.

A literature review of fifteen articles was utilized to answer the study’s aim. Searching the CINAHL Complete and MEDLINE databases performed data collection. Data was analyzed using the matrix method.

The findings were categorized into two main themes: barriers of effective communication and facilitators of effective communication. Three subthemes emerged under the barriers of effective communication and two sub themes for the facilitators. The main barrier to effective communication was the nurse’s lack of knowledge and skills.

In conclusion, the nurse-patient interaction is compounded by variables such as: nurses’ competence, patient’s attributes and environmental or care setting. All together these factors require the nurse’s ability to overcome the communication barriers and highlight the facilitators. It would be of benefit if nurses receive training in communication skills in palliative care with emphasis on transitions and how to handle them within the palliative care scope.