TY - JOUR
T1 - Tracing interpersonal discursive features in Australian nursing bedside handovers
T2 - approachability features, patient engagement and insights for ESP training and working with internationally trained nurses
AU - Dahm, Maria R.
AU - Slade, Diana
AU - Brady, Bernadette
AU - Goncharov, Liza
AU - Chien, Laura
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - Bedside handovers in clinical nursing are crucial communicative events fostering involvement of patients in their care. Communication challenges between nurses and patients threaten quality of care and hinder patient involvement. Knowledge and in-depth understanding of how these specialised interactions are co-constructed discursively is limited, but necessary to inform English for specific purposes training and to improve patient participation. We trace the interpersonal discursive features of communication between nurses and patients across four case studies of bedside handovers recorded at two metropolitan Australian hospitals. Handovers were selected for contextual factors: patients’ language background (native or non-native English speaking (NES/NNES)) and presence of family/carers. By applying a deductive framework of discursive approachability features, combined with an inductive analysis of discourse features in context, we describe which communication behaviours facilitate or hinder patient participation. We discovered that incoming and outgoing nurses used different discursive strategies during handover. Outgoing nurses made fewer efforts at being approachable to patients and family/carers, impeding patient involvement. Incoming nurses were more approachable, inviting patient participation and building interpersonal connections. NES patients and carers were more involved in handover despite outgoing nurses’ disengaging communication behaviours. Findings can inform reflective practice and communication skills training among practicing and trainee nurses.
AB - Bedside handovers in clinical nursing are crucial communicative events fostering involvement of patients in their care. Communication challenges between nurses and patients threaten quality of care and hinder patient involvement. Knowledge and in-depth understanding of how these specialised interactions are co-constructed discursively is limited, but necessary to inform English for specific purposes training and to improve patient participation. We trace the interpersonal discursive features of communication between nurses and patients across four case studies of bedside handovers recorded at two metropolitan Australian hospitals. Handovers were selected for contextual factors: patients’ language background (native or non-native English speaking (NES/NNES)) and presence of family/carers. By applying a deductive framework of discursive approachability features, combined with an inductive analysis of discourse features in context, we describe which communication behaviours facilitate or hinder patient participation. We discovered that incoming and outgoing nurses used different discursive strategies during handover. Outgoing nurses made fewer efforts at being approachable to patients and family/carers, impeding patient involvement. Incoming nurses were more approachable, inviting patient participation and building interpersonal connections. NES patients and carers were more involved in handover despite outgoing nurses’ disengaging communication behaviours. Findings can inform reflective practice and communication skills training among practicing and trainee nurses.
KW - Bedside handover
KW - Discourse analysis
KW - Interpersonal communication
KW - Nurse–patient interactions
KW - Nursing staff, Hospital
KW - Pragmatics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121854958&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.esp.2021.10.002
DO - 10.1016/j.esp.2021.10.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85121854958
SN - 0889-4906
VL - 66
SP - 17
EP - 32
JO - English for Specific Purposes
JF - English for Specific Purposes
ER -