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How community nurses handle concerns voiced by older adults: A conversation analytic study
Leonie Slots1, Bogdana Humă2, Hedwig Te Molder2
1Department of Language, Literature and Communication, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Research Group Social Work, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, the Netherlands; Research Group Technology, Health & Care, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, the Netherlands; Department of Design, Production, and Management, Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
Community nurses employ three distinct communication strategies when addressing concerns of older adults at home. These approaches significantly influence how concerns are understood and resolved, emphasizing the power of language in care.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nursing Science
- Sociolinguistics
Background:
- Community nurses are vital for supporting older adults' independence at home.
- Promoting self-determination, autonomy, and self-management is key in home care.
- This study focuses on how nurses address concerns of older adults receiving home care support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and describe the communication strategies community nurses use.
- To understand how these strategies impact the resolution of older adults' concerns.
- To analyze the role of nurses in shaping client concern management.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 21 recorded home visit conversations between community nurses and older adults.
- Utilized conversation analysis, an inductive qualitative approach.
- Data collected in a large Dutch city between 2020 and 2022.
Main Results:
- Identified three distinct communication trajectories: exploratory, presumptive, and reassuring.
- Exploratory: Nurses guide clients to identify causes and solutions.
- Presumptive: Nurses offer solutions without exploring the concern's origin.
- Reassuring: Nurses normalize concerns, leading clients to suggest existing remedies.
Conclusions:
- Language plays a critical role in constructing and resolving client concerns during home visits.
- Community nurses significantly influence the unfolding and resolution of older adults' concerns.
- Effective communication strategies are essential for successful home care outcomes.
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