Bases for assessments made by telephone advice nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Telephone advice nursing is a crucial component of healthcare delivery.
• It encompasses triage, advice, referral, information, and coordination services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the factors influencing telephone nurses' assessments.
• To understand the basis for decision-making in telephone healthcare advice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative manifest content analysis of 14 interviews with seven telephone nurses.
• Stimulated recall interviews using authentic calls to explore assessment bases.

Main Results:

• Three primary assessment categories identified: care-seeker factors, nurse experience, and organizational aspects.
• Assessments are influenced by verbal/non-verbal cues, nurse's experience, and healthcare accessibility.
• An individualistic perspective on care-seekers appears dominant in non-urgent calls.

Conclusions:

• Telephone advice nurses' assessments are multifaceted, integrating patient, nurse, and organizational factors.
• The study highlights the complexity of telephone triage and advice-giving.
• Further research may explore optimizing assessment strategies in telephone nursing.