From abstract to acclaim.

Increasing specialisation in the health-care sector requires nurses to be proficient communicators both within their own profession and among other health-care disciplines. Although the work environment provides numerous opportunities for oral communication, traditionally we have been taught written communication. Like scientific writing, an oral presentation demands a sense of planning, audience awareness and attention to detail. Yet, because of the different medium, other important factors must also be considered. While a reader may select passages or reread a report, the audience must listen in a linear way. Your voice and body, aided by visual displays, will have a different effect on the listener than the printed pages have on the reader. Therefore, it is important to concentrate on both the content and the method of presentation if the audience is to be left feeling inspired. This article outlines the planning of a presentation, development of visual aids and delivery of a polished performance.