A qualitative study of nurse-patient communication and information provision during surgical pre-admission clinics

Perspectives of nurses and patients on the misplacement of supportive care information for type 2 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study in China

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of nurses and patients on the misplacement of supportive care information for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling to recruit elderly individuals diagnosed with T2DM and nurses from a geriatric hospital in the central region of China. Semi-structured interviews were carried out between June and October 2024.

FINDINGS

A total of 21 patients and 12 nurses participated in this study. Five themes were generated: (1) consistent value identity, (2) inadequate information carriers, (3) conflicting subject needs, (4) loose information links, and (5) strong willingness to improve.

CONCLUSION

It was essential for patients and nurses to enhance access to information and establish a robust information support framework. In addition to improving the information support capabilities of nurses, it was equally important to enhance patients' ability to provide feedback on the information they receive.

"You Don't Realize What a Big Change It Is": A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Patients' Experiences of Amputation Preparation, Information Provision, and Support

The objective of this research was to extend current knowledge on the psychological and emotional aspects around patients' preparation for amputation surgery. This research explored amputees' perspectives on their preparation for amputation surgery and how patients can be better supported for this procedure. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and online qualitative questionnaires with 17 amputees who underwent upper- or lower-limb amputation within the United Kingdom. The interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis generated three themes describing participants' experiences of being prepared for this surgery and their ideas on how this process could be improved: (1) Making sense of amputation surgery, (2) Patients' experiences of information and support from healthcare staff, and (3) Patients' views on approaches to preparation. This research highlighted the importance of information provision and support from healthcare staff, along with the potential benefits of utilizing experiential knowledge through peer support to enhance feelings of preparedness for amputation surgery.

Developing Communication Support Material for Sharing Information with Patients Undergoing an 18F-FDG PET/CT Examination

Our aim was to develop communication support material for information sharing related to an 18F-FDG PET/CT examination. Methods: The study had a qualitative design adapting a multiphase structure. A prototype of communication support material consisting of illustrations and text related to an 18F-FDG PET/CT examination was developed. Interviews were conducted with patients scheduled for an 18F-FDG PET/CT examination for the first time, and questionnaires were collected from health care professionals with experience in 18F-FDG PET/CT. The communication support material was revised until consensus was reached about it. Results: The results are based on interviews with patients (n = 10) and questionnaires collected from health care professionals (n = 9). The overall theme revealed that patient information about an 18F-FDG PET/CT examination is a balancing act between text and illustrations. The analysis showed 2 categories: "illustrations as a complement" and "easy-to-understand layout." Conclusion: The participants strengthened the development of the communication support material by bringing in valuable viewpoints from various perspectives. The results support a person-centered approach in which information about an 18F-FDG PET/CT examination can be adapted to each patient's needs as a balancing act between text and illustrations.

Patients' experiences of shared decision-making in nursing care: A qualitative study

AIM

To explore patients' experiences of shared decision-making, in nursing care during their stay in a healthcare institution.

DESIGN

This study employed a qualitative descriptive design.

METHODS

Twenty participants were interviewed from two rehabilitation centres, a nephrology ward of a hospital, and a rehabilitation ward of a long-term care facility. A constant comparative method was used for the inductive analysis.

RESULTS

The main theme was 'feeling seen and understood', in the context of person-centred care, which served as the unifying thread across five themes. The five themes included the importance of a positive nurse-patient relationship as a foundation for shared decision-making. Next, patients experienced collaboration, and this was influenced by verbal and non-verbal communication. Another theme was that patients often felt overwhelmed during their stay, affecting shared decision-making. The fourth theme was that many decisions were not made through the shared decision-making process but were still perceived as satisfactory. The final theme highlighted patients' perspectives on their role in decision-making and influencing factors.

CONCLUSION

Patients describe how feeling seen and understood is a prerequisite for shared decision-making as a part of person-centred care. For nurses, this implies that they should focus on aspects such as building a good relationship and acknowledgement of patients' feelings and circumstances, next to empowering patients to feel knowledgeable and valued. This way patient's motivation to participate in shared decision-making will be enhanced.

REPORTING METHOD

Following the EQUATOR guidelines, reporting was guided by the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ).

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients were involved in the study through interviews during the research process and member checks during analysis.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE

Before initiating shared decision-making processes, prioritise making the patient feel seen and understood. Be mindful that patients often feel overwhelmed during their stay. Use a person-centred approach to make patients feel knowledgeable-this empowers them for shared decision-making.

IMPACT

Research on patients' experiences of shared decision-making in nursing care is limited, yet crucial for understanding patients' needs in shared decision-making. This study highlights patients' perceptions that shared decision-making is best facilitated within the nurse-patient relationship by nurses who primarily focus on ensuring that patients feel acknowledged and understood.

Comparison of the impact of team-based learning and lecture-based learning on nursing students' core competencies: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

This study aims to evaluate the effect of team-based learning on the core competence of nursing students compared with traditional teaching methods.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, team-based learning has been widely used as a learning and teaching method in the world. Not only the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes, but also the core competence is necessary to cope with various clinical situations for nursing students. However, the effect of this new teaching method on core competence of nursing students is not consistent.

DESIGN

The study was designed according to the preferred reporting entries guidelines statement for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and population, intervention, comparison, outcome and study.

METHODS

Data were collected from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Scopus. The quality of studies was assessed using "The Newcastle Ottawa scale". A random-effect model of meta-analyses was conducted to generate pooled standardized mean differences (SMD) for core competence using Rev Man 5.4.1 software and STATASE 15. Moreover, subgroup, heterogeneity, sensitivity and publication bias analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 14 articles with 1942 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with the traditional pedagogy among nursing students, team-based learning pedagogy significantly increased theoretical performance, professional effects (self-directed learning ability and communication ability) but did not affect practice skills. In addition, one study found that learning attitudes were not improved in students with high or low academic performance. This might mean that the teaching model should be implemented for a long time, which essentially changed students' learning attitudes to improve students' self-directed learning ability and core competence, especially for students with low scores.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, findings indicated that team-based learning pedagogical approaches might be beneficial to improve teaching quality in nursing education. However, practice skills might not be sensitive to team-based learning because of the seriation of the original course. Nursing educators need to explore teaching strategies to cultivate high-quality nursing talents to cultivate nursing students with core competence and ensure that they are successfully qualified for new employment.

Patient and family perceptions of a discharge bedside board

Objective

To explore patient and family perspectives of a discharge bedside board for supporting engagement in patient care and discharge planning to inform tool revision.

Methods

This qualitative descriptive study included 45 semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of English-speaking patients (n = 44; mean age 58.5 years) and their family members (n = 5) across seven adult inpatient units at a tertiary acute care hospital in mid-western Canada. Thematic (interviews), content (board, organization procedure document), and framework-guided integrated (all data) analyses were performed.

Results

Four themes were generated from interview data: understanding the board, included essential information to guide care, balancing information on the board, and maintaining a sense of connection. Despite application inconsistencies, documented standard procedures aligned with recommended board (re)orientation, timely patient-friendly content, attention to privacy, and patient-provider engagement strategies.

Conclusion

Findings indicate the tool supported consultation and some involvement level engagement in patient care and discharge. Board information was usually valued, however, perceived procedural gaps in tool education, privacy, and the quality of tool-related communication offer opportunities to strengthen patients' and families' tool experience.

Innovation

Novel application of a continuum engagement framework in the exploration of multiple data sources generated significant insights to guide tool revision.

Registered nurse-patient communication research: An integrative review for future directions in nursing research

AIM

To explore communication research in nursing by investigating the theoretical approaches, methods, content and perspectives in research on real-time registered nurse (RN)-patient communication.

DESIGN

An integrative review of real-time communication between RNs and patients.

DATA SOURCES

Empirical research papers were searched in PubMed, CINAHL Plus and Medline. The results from the database searches were supplemented with results from manual searches in reference lists.

REVIEW METHODS

A total of 1369 articles published between January 1996 and December 2021 were screened, which resulted in the inclusion of 52 articles.

RESULTS

The integration of various theories, such as nursing or communication theories, is weak in most of the included studies. RN-patient communication appears to influence relationship building. Even when nurses strive to meet patients' needs, they often focus primarily on nursing routines and physical care. The topic of the communication varies depending on the situation and different communication styles are used. When a patient-centred approach is adopted, the interpersonal communication becomes quite symmetrical, with complementary roles of nurses and patients. Within a more asymmetric communication context, nurses dominate communication, choose topics and function as instructors. How the nurses communicated subsequently influenced the patients' communication styles and strategies.

CONCLUSION

Communication is multifaceted, contains different strategies and is important for building trust and facilitating patient-centred care. The importance of RNs' communication for interaction and relationship-building seems to be well established within research, but few studies focused on patients' communication with RNs.

IMPACT

This integrative review gives an overview of the width and depth of observational studies on RN-patient communication research. The variety of studies indicates that this area is a less well-grounded field of research. Future research is warranted to support nurses in their communication, especially regarding the exploration of patients' communication and desired communication skills in nurse-patient interactions.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution was included in this integrative review.

Framework, component, and implementation of enhanced recovery pathways

The introduction of enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) has led to a considerable paradigm shift towards evidence-based, multidisciplinary perioperative care. Such pathways are now widely implemented in a variety of surgical specialties, with largely positive results. In this narrative review, we summarize the principles, components and implementation of ERPs, focusing on recent developments in the field. We also discuss ‘special cases’ in ERPs, including: surgery in frail patients; emergency procedures; and patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19).

A qualitative study of nurse-patient communication and information provision during surgical pre-admission clinics

Background

Health‐care service users are often being described as ‘co‐producers’ with an active role in their care. However, there are challenges associated with this approach, including how standardization affects personalized care, and the ability of patients to retain high volumes of information.

Objective

Our study explores patient and nursing perspectives of information provision in the pre‐admission element of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery programme, an evidence‐based approach implemented to improve the quality of surgical care. Our analysis has been informed by an evidence‐based model developed by Grande et al Patient Educ Couns. 2014;95:281.

Design/Setting and participants

This was a qualitative study including observations of pre‐admission clinics and semi‐structured interviews across three surgical wards. Patients (n = 21) and registered nurses (n = 21) were purposively selected for interviews.

Results

Patients welcomed the opportunity for active involvement in their care. However, we also identified informational boundaries and how illness and treatment‐related anxieties were barriers to patient engagement with the information provided.

Discussion

We recommend that to support a patient‐centred and individualized approach to patient involvement the ‘information (giving) + activation’ element of Grande et al Patient Educ Couns. 2014;95:281 model be reconfigured to allow for ‘information (giving) + exploration +activation’.

Conclusion

Nurses need to feel empowered to adopt strategies that allow for different informational needs, rather than adopting a one‐size‐fits‐all paternalistic approach.

Patient contribution

This study focused on patient involvement and we give thanks to all the patients who took part in interviews and those who allowed us to observe their care.