Telenurses' experiences of interaction with patients and family members: nurse-caller interaction via telephone

Abstract

Background: Telephone nursing is expanding worldwide, but a little is known about nurses' interactions with callers and the factors that affect these interactions.

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to describe how telenurses experience caller interactions.

Methods: A qualitative study designed through open telephone interviews with call centre nurses (n = 9) in 2017. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Ethical guidelines were followed at all stages of the study.

Results: Callers both enhanced and hindered interactions. Nurses' professional skills, such as communication skills, nurse-led control over the call and the nurses' capabilities, enabled positive interactions. Disturbing background sounds, communication problems and service system failures made the telephone interactions challenging. Achieving connection with callers, callers who had supportive family members and a supportive organisational structure were features of successful interactions.

Study limitations: As all nine participants were recruited from one call centre, the findings are not directly transferable to another environment.

Conclusions: The results reveal that nurse-caller interactions are affected by several issues concerning the callers and the nurses' skills. Communication problems were often present when telenurses were unable to provide the services callers expected due to lacking health and medical care resources. Family members could be considered important participants in telephone communication with nurses, though further research should examine the possible benefits of interacting with family members.

Practical implications: Based on the results of this study, telenurses could benefit from training that focuses on the communication skills that are needed for telephone nursing and the tools needed to meet individual callers' needs. Work environments could also better support caller-nurse interactions. Organisations should provide more resources for telephone nursing in order to promote positive interactions.

Keywords: caller; experience; interaction; telenurse; telenursing; telephone nursing.