Interpersonal Communication among Critical Care Nurses: an Ethnographic Study.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Communication
• Organizational Culture

Background:

• Effective interpersonal communication is crucial in critical care units due to patient complexity.
• The culture within these units influences nurses' ethical distress and conflict resolution.
• Exploring communication culture is vital for improving healthcare team dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the interpersonal communication culture among critical care nurses in Iran.
• To identify factors influencing communication dynamics in critical care settings.

Main Methods:

• Focused ethnography utilizing Spradley's research evolutionary cycle model.
• Data collection through semi-structured interviews (n=18) and participant observation (n=43) over six months.
• Data analysis using Spradley's method with MAXQDA10 for theme extraction.

Main Results:

• Five key domains emerged: grouping, work-life interaction, professionalism, organizational atmosphere, and experience.
• These domains highlight significant aspects of the communication culture in critical care nursing.
• High-level consensus was reached on these observational findings.

Conclusions:

• Interpersonal communication culture development is multifaceted, influenced by various factors.
• Effective communication relies on working models and nurses' workspace utilization.
• Findings can inform strategies to resolve communication challenges and enhance patient care quality.