Nursing students' lived experiences with using AIDET in patient communication: A qualitative study in the Philippines

Effective communication is vital in nursing, influencing patient safety, satisfaction, and care quality. The AIDET framework is a proven tool for reducing patient anxiety and enhancing their experience. However, perceptions and experiences of Filipino nursing students with AIDET remain unexplored.

This study explored Filipino nursing students' use of AIDET, focusing on benefits, challenges, and improvements.

A qualitative, interpretive phenomenological approach informed by the philosophy of Martin Heidegger was employed. This 2023 study, conducted at a university in Angeles City, Philippines, explored Filipino nursing students' experiences with the AIDET communication framework. Thirty participants were purposefully selected to participate in facilitated discussions following a semi-structured interview guide. Thematic content analysis of the transcribed audio recording identified recurring themes in their narratives, focusing on the meanings they ascribed to their experiences using AIDET.

Four themes emerged: (a) Streamlined nurse-patient interaction (organizes communication, rapport building, alleviate anxiety, acknowledgment, and empowerment as sub-themes), (b) Enhances patient-centered care (empathy and compassion, improved patient experience as sub-topics), (c) Challenges with specific patient populations (patient preferences, language barrier, patient condition, acknowledgment of cultural differences as sub-themes), and (d) AIDET in nursing education strengthening application through practice, optimizing frequency and timing, promoting deeper understanding, enhancing feedback mechanism) as student nurses' recommendations.

Early integration of AIDET in nursing education is essential for student nurses to enhance communication, improve patient satisfaction, and deliver patient-centered care, equipping them with valuable communication skills.