The ability to give an effective presentation is an essential skill for nurses. To advance within any practice setting, nurses need to be able to orally communicate their knowledge, ideas, opinions, and plans. One strategy to become a dynamic presenter is to seek an opportunity to speak and, after proper preparation, just do it.

Who should speak?

Opportunities abound for you, as a nurse, to give presentations or inservices. Perhaps you have just moved from a major teaching hospital where you worked for three years on a surgical unit. Now employed in a community home health agency, you observe postoperative and elderly patients with surgical incisions or decubiti who need expert skin and wound care. Colleagues may ask you to share your expertise and experience. You can draw on your personal knowledge base, and as a novice speaker, you will be more comfortable and confident with familiar content.

If you are not an expert on a specific topic, preparation of a presentation might make you one. For example, perhaps your hospital is considering the adoption of a newer needleless IV delivery system. By volunteering to help with the selection process, you can investigate and become knowledgeable about the leading product lines available. You can arrange for vendors to demonstrate products and provide staff opportunities for hands-on product review and evaluation. You will have the chance to gather the newest findings, tap the experts, and even influence the audience’s attitudes about the topic. The process will require you to develop public-speaking skills as your hospital’s spokesperson through one-on-one and small-group interactions, and later through large staff presentations.

You might have to make a professional presentation for career advancement purposes, such as progressing up a career ladder, or because your staff has to be readied for a new piece of equipment or technology. If the opportunity is voluntary, seize the initiative early. There may be more latitude in selecting your topic, and you will be recognized for your independence and assertiveness. Perhaps you have recently worked with a patient who had an unusual pathophysiological condition that prompted you to plan innovative nursing care. You may have had to do basic library research to further your understanding of the problem and to identify the latest treatment protocols. In retrospect, you realize how much you learned from the care of this patient. This is an excellent opportunity for you to make a presentation at nursing grand rounds that will enhance the education of staff and contribute to your career advancement.

What to speak about?

A speaker needs to identify a general topic and an overall goal for a presentation. Novice speakers often find it easiest to draw from their areas of expertise. Prior knowledge establishes credibility and gives the speaker a knowledge base from which to start. Is there something you know well that would be of value to others in practice? Try to figure out what the audience will want to know about your subject matter and why. Perhaps the audience needs information about a subject for job performance and evaluation, career advancement, or certification. This knowledge can help you capitalize on what motivates the group to attend.

After you have identified the subject, you can begin your search to determine what has already been written on the topic. A library search is a good way to build your information base. If this is new to you, don’t let it overwhelm you. Seek out the information from a reference librarian who can assist you to select appropriate computer indices and use key search words to find what you need. Allow yourself adequate time to search, retrieve, and review the generated literature.

After you have assembled your information, identify the key points that you need to make in your delivery and clarify your objectives. Stay focused; novice speakers commonly try to present too much material. Next, begin writing a detailed content outline containing the supporting information you wish to discuss. Arrange the material so the flow is concise and clear, as well as informative and interesting. Practical information is a high priority in professional presentations. For example, in presenting needleless IV systems to staff nurses, your introduction would be based on factual information and statistics, describing the necessity and evolution of such innovations before moving on to discuss specific products. The presentation might compare similar aspects of each product, such as cost, ease of use, and compatibility with pumps, so participants could evaluate them. The focus would need to be on usable information, providing time for questions and answers.

After developing a content outline, gather resources to enhance the presentation, such as other experts who could strengthen your material or add an alternative approach. Perhaps there are groups, associations, or in the case of the needleless IV system, product representatives who could provide services or literature to supplement your presentation. Whatever additional resources you settle on, be sure to use them to your advantage and not just as an obvious fill-in or distraction.

Focusing the presentation

Objectives for every presentation should flow from its main points. Objectives should be realistic and measurable, even if the participants’ achievement is not formally evaluated. They define what the learners or participants will know or be able to do after attending the session. Learning objectives fall into three categories — cognitive, psychomotor, or affective.¹ Cognitive objectives relate to the acquisition of knowledge; they incorporate verbs such as identify, state, describe, or discuss. It is easiest to ascertain if these objectives were met: Either the person knows the information or does not. For example, one cognitive objective after a session on the needleless IV system might ask the participant: “Can you state two advantages of the needleless IV system?”

Psychomotor objectives, which relate to physical skills, are indicated by verbs, such as demonstrate, assemble, administer, and perform. These objectives can be readily measured; a participant will or will not be able to demonstrate a skill after a presentation. In our needleless system example, such an objective might require a nurse to demonstrate assembling the system’s tubing.

Affective objectives relate to acquisition of values, beliefs, and attitudes; they are written using verbs such as understand, believe, feel, and appreciate. These objectives are difficult to measure and quantify. An effective objective might ask a nurse, “Do you accept that the needleless IV system will improve patient care?”

How to present to adults

The next step is to determine how to present your material in a way that is both interesting and effective. Whatever you do, don’t stand and read; this is boring to the audience and suggests that you are unsure of yourself or your presentation.

Preparation and practice enhance presentations by increasing the effectiveness of the speaker. As you make more speeches, you will raise your comfort level, which can be communicated to individuals and audiences through speech patterns and nonverbal gestures. It is important for a speaker to cultivate those characteristics highly valued by audiences; for example, be enthusiastic and tell the group you are happy to be addressing them on this exciting topic. Audiences appreciate not only a credible and knowledgeable speaker, but also one who is interesting and enthusiastic with an easygoing manner. Finally, a sense of humor goes a long way to win an audience and add spark to the presentation.

A speaker should capture the audience within the first few minutes. You can do this by memorizing your opening comments so you can make good eye contact. Tell the audience boldly why they need to hear what you have to say. You can also use an interesting story or dramatic statistic to get the audience’s attention. You could begin an inservice about the need for more community programs for the elderly by emphatically stating, “Predictions are that by the year 2020, the population of those over 50 years of age will double in size from 2000.” A speaker should be able to put the audience at ease and establish a rapport that demonstrates concern, openness, and a nonthreatening attitude. So all of your strategies need to be thoughtfully selected and planned relative to the audience, as well as to the content.

Adult learning principles should guide presentation strategies.² For example, adults learn only what they think they need to learn. If your presentation is a mandatory inservice, you may have to convince an adult audience that they can benefit from what you have to say. Adults like learning to center around realistic problems and situations in which they are involved, so that they are able to share experiences and solutions and relate to the presented material. Adults seem to prefer an informal learning environment, and like to be recognized for their present knowledge level and achievements. Adults as well as children prefer a variety of teaching methods and strategies as long as they are planned and purposeful. Adults as learners tend to be defensive, especially if they are evaluated or critiqued. Their fear of failure and criticism can cause great anxiety and inhibit learning.

For adults, an interactive presentation involving discussion or demonstration/return demonstration may be more effective than traditional lecture. One learning principle suggests that adults learn best by doing or when social interactions take place. However, it takes some time and experience to learn how to use and facilitate interactive participation in groups. Group interaction can be quite a challenge if the topic under discussion is a controversial one. Although some presenters have a natural talent that makes the interactive session look effortless, most speakers have to work to cultivate this skill.

A creative nurse presenter can also use simulations and gaming strategies to engage reluctant participants. Provide an icebreaker for the audience before you ask them to jump into your game plan. For instance, if you are teaching about cardiac monitoring, you could open by showing an abnormal ECG strip and offering a small prize to the first person who could identify the dysrhythmia. When using competitive games, randomly group participants as teams rather than as individuals to avoid the possible embarrassment of being singled out and to lower perceived personal risk. Most adults respond positively to team games, but they are more enthusiastic if there is a prize for the winning team. Keep the skill level low or people will hesitate to participate. However, if the game becomes more important than the reason for using it, then it probably shouldn’t be used.

Audiovisuals should be meaningful and appropriate to the presentation’s content. They should be used moderately to explain or reinforce your points. Slides and transparencies should be uncluttered, colorful, and pleasing to the eye. The participants should not have to read copious small text from the slide while trying to listen to you.

Question and answer periods should be built into the presentation timeframe. A bibliography and a list of additional resources for the audience will further enhance your audience’s learning experience. Handouts indicate that you believe the topic is important and that you expect participants will want further information. The audience will also be impressed that you took the time and trouble to provide further resources.

Reading the audience

One author classified audiences into four categories: “Loves You”; “Thinks It’s Impartial”; “Could Care Less”; and “Loves You Not.”³ An example of the “Loves You” group — the easiest audience to address — is the popular celebrity speaking to a group of fans. The celebrity’s credibility and popularity are already established, and the fans love this person and have already bought into what is going to be said. The celebrity feels free to smile and gesture a lot. Lots of eye contact thrills the audience.

The “Thinks It’s Impartial” audience is more of an intellectual group. They consider themselves to be calm and rational and able to handle whatever you deliver, so your delivery should mirror that dispassion. An even, controlled delivery style works well with these participants who prefer facts. Although they might wish to examine both sides of an issue, avoid controversy. This group does not want to be entertained, but likes an opportunity for questions, answers, and discussion.

The “Could Care Less” audience is characterized by a short attention span. Simply stated, they don’t want to be at your presentation. These folks may be just finishing or getting ready to work their shift. It might be helpful to acknowledge their displeasure, and then move on quickly to the task at hand. This group wants to be entertained, so try to be dynamic and pleasing to look at. If these participants are going to respond at all, they will react to humorous anecdotes and clever audiovisuals. Avoid passing out reading materials and darkening the room. Move around and away from the podium, and keep your speech short and interesting.

The most challenging audience is the “Loves You Not” group. You may feel open hostility and a desire on the part of this audience to take over and ridicule. However, you must keep control of the presentation. You can do this by using a noncontroversial orderly format, organizing your material chronologically, historically, or by topics. Present your information convincingly and calmly, and avoid jocularity and problem-solving strategies. If possible, speak to this group after mealtime, late in the afternoon, early Monday morning, or late Friday afternoon, when the audience is least likely to challenge you.

A matter of style

Each of us has a unique presentation style that has been developed over a lifetime. While you cannot change your age, life experiences, or height, there are many things you can do to improve your performance and present a pleasing image to your audience. First, don’t forget to practice. Successful speakers exude confidence, command of their material, and the ability to stay focused because they are prepared. Second, remember that audiences respond positively to neat, well-groomed, stylish speakers, so do pay attention to your appearance. Third, audiences also respond favorably to speakers who are animated and interesting. If you have special characteristics or talents, such as a high-energy level or the ability to draw quick sketches or tell humorous anecdotes, use them to engage your group.

Beginning and ending

When planning your presentation or inservice, choose a setting where there will be few, or no, interruptions and a time that is convenient for most. Announce the time frame of your presentation and be certain to begin and end on time. All speakers must respect time limitations, allowing the audience to keep to their own schedules and commitments. When speakers run overtime, the audience may get restless, preoccupied, or angry.

The ending is as important as the beginning. As a speaker, never act as if you are relieved that the presentation is over. Remain upbeat, confident, and strong to the last word. When wrapping up the session, allow a few minutes to emphasize and summarize salient points, highlights, or conclusions. This is also the time to identify future projects and plans. Volunteer to stay after the presentation to speak with participants who may want further assistance and have other comments to make. Others in the audience will appreciate your sensitivity to their time constraints.

Polished presenters buff their skills by constantly speaking. You can strengthen your abilities by using small groups, such as the local parent-teachers association or the Rotary or Lions Clubs, as public-speaking venues.

These groups may be less threatening and more relaxed, and they are usually pleased to have nurses speak about healthcare topics.

Colleagues can be helpful by providing honest critiques of your overall presentation. Videotaping is another tool for enhancing your skills; by taping a series of speeches, you’ll be able to track the growth of your skills and confidence and the evolution of your delivery style. Through persistent and meticulous planning, preparation, practice, and attention to detail, you’ll find that the quality of your presentation will increase. And along with a better presentation, you’ll derive a wonderful sense of accomplishment and personal satisfaction.