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Communication frustration and avoidance after SPEACS-2 training in the ICU
Ji Won Shin1, Audrey Lund Rothchild2, Loraine Theresa Sinnott3
1College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, 295 W. 10th Ave., Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
Background:
Nurses report frustration with and avoidance of mechanically ventilated patients with communication impairments. The SPEACS-2 program provides online training in patient communication assessment and assistive communication strategies. This study measured frustration and avoidance among ICU nurses and student nurses after SPEACS-2 training.
Purpose:
(1) Determine the relationship between frustration with communication and avoidance of patients who are difficult to understand; (2) Describe changes in frustration and avoidance after SPEACS-2 training relative to before (ICU nurses only); and (3) Compare post-training frustration and avoidance between ICU nurses and student nurses.
Methods:
We conducted a descriptive, comparative secondary analysis of Nurse Communication Survey (NCS) data collected in two separate SPEACS-2 studies with ICU nurses and pre-licensure student nurses. ICU nurses completed the post-intervention survey 3 months after SPEACS-2 training, whereas student nurses completed the post-intervention survey 1 year after training.
Results:
263 ICU nurses and 85 student nurses participated in the survey. Findings suggest a weak-to-moderate positive correlation between avoidance and frustration, indicating that participants who reported greater frustration also tended to report greater avoidance, although the relationship was modest (Spearman's ρ = 0.302, p < 0.0001). The ICU nurse group showed a significant change post-intervention in feeling frustrated (p = 0.0001) but no change in avoidance. Most ICU nurses (84.1%) and student nurses (87.0%) reported never or rarely avoiding contact with patients.
Conclusion:
The significant reduction in nurse frustration as a result of this communication training intervention may translate into greater nurse satisfaction and better patient experience.
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