Expertise in Everyday Nurse–Patient Conversations: The Importance of Small Talk

Global Qualitative Nursing Research

Lindsay M. Macdonald¹ 

关键词: communication;    discourse analysis;    education;    professional;    health care;    nursing;    relationships;    patient-provider;   

DOI  :  10.1177/2333393616643201

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: Sage Journals

【 摘 要 】

A great deal of nursing activity is embedded in what is considered to be everyday conversation. These conversations are important to health professionals because communication can affect health outcomes, and they are important to patients who want to know they are being heard and cared for. How do nurses talk with patients and what are the features of effective communication in practice? In this exploratory study, two expert nurses recorded conversations with patients during domiciliary visits. Linguistic discourse analysis, informed by contextual knowledge of domiciliary nursing shows the nurses skillfully used small talk to support their clinical work. In their conversations, nurses elicit specific information, normalize unpleasant procedures, manage the flow of the interaction, and strengthen the therapeutic relationship. Small talk can be big talk in achieving nursing goals. Critically reflecting on recorded clinical interactions can be a useful method of professional development and a way of demonstrating nursing expertise.

【 授权许可】

CC BY