Running head: CRITIQUE OF NURSE-PATIENT COMMUNICATION 1

Critique of Nurse-Patient Communication: An Exploration of Patients' Experiences

Susan Kelly

King University
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Critique of Nurse-Patient Communication: An Exploration of Patients' Experiences

In 2004, Catherine McCabe performed a qualitative research study on nurse to patient

communication. The study consisted of patient interviews that were unrestricted, giving the

patients the opportunity to speak freely regarding their personal experience during their period of

illness. As indicated in the publication, the researcher, who holds a master of science degree,

serves as a lecture at Trinity Center for Health Sciences, Saint John’s Hospital in Dublin, Ireland.

The title assigned to the research publication is appropriate as it reflects the research performed.

However, given the research was independent, is the researcher's credentials supporting of her

qualifications to perform the study independently?

During the introduction, the reader’s attention is captured as the suggested problem is

clearly identified. The introduction includes background information by reviewing the history of

communication, healthcare communication and the significance to nursing. As McCabe (2004)

stated, research identifies communication as being a fundamental step in building a nurse to

patient relationship. Nurses are notorious for not communicating appropriately with their

patients. Therefore, the nurse to patient relationship suffers. Nurses are more task oriented than

patient oriented. The relevance to nursing is noted through discussion of how communication

impacts the nurse to patient relationship. Communication between a nurse and patient is more

than verbiage. Care and compassion are significant in communication.

Problem and Purpose

Literature depicts nurses as being poor communicators. McCabe (2004) states, in order to

help improve nurse to patient communication, it is essential to get the patient’s point of view on

how nurses communicate. The purpose of the qualitative study is to capture the patient’s

perspective on how nurses communicate with them.

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Hypothesis

In relation to this study, there is no clearly defined hypothesis. The caliber of the study

does equate to the multiple articles utilized in composing this research, and the articles reviewed

are relevant to the study. The articles support the identification of the problem and purposed

solutions. The patients evaluated in the study gave written permission along with the facilities

ethics committee permission according to McCabe (2004). Interviews were conducted without

the utilization of personal demographics. However, the interviews were tape recorded. The data

gathered was maintained by the researcher (McCabe, 2004).

Theoretical or Conceptual Framework

According to McCabe (2004), the framework was completed for this study by utilizing

four factors including credibility, fittingness, audibility, and confirmability. These factors

support that Sandelowiski’s framework was utilized (McCabe, 2004).

Operational Terms

There were no operational terms clearly identified or stated in this research article.

Research Design

Heideggarian/ Gadamarian hermeneutic phenomenological approach was the research

design utilized. McCabe’s rationale for the utilization of this design was to identify an

understanding of nurse to patient communication as identified by the patients interviewed for this

study. Randomization was not utilized; however, purposeful sampling was. The goal was to

obtain adequate data from patients who have experienced the phenomenon studied. Variables in

this study were not clearly identified nor stated, and biases were not detected. However, I

disagree as implied by the researcher education regarding patient-centered communication

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should be a focus at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. With the researcher lecturing this

could be identified as biased.

Population and Sample

The target population for this research study was patients in a teaching facility in the

Republic of Ireland. To meet the requirements for this study patient’s length of stay has to be at

least four days, the rationale was so patients would have the opportunity to communicate with

the nursing staff regularly. Patients participating in the study ranged from the mid-twenties to the

early seventies. The patient population was made up of three females and five males. This type

of sampling is frequently utilized in qualitative research (Grove, Burns, & Gray, 2013). The

researcher indicated the sampling size was limited because of the smaller number of participants

and I do agree. According to McCabe (2004), the interviews were initiated with open-ended

questions. Data was retrieved utilizing phenomenological research. Qualitative studies are more

so focused on the sample rather than the number of participants. This type of study would not be

statistically significant and no confidence interval available.

Assumptions and Limitations

It is McCabe’s opinion the findings of the study are beneficial in the education of nursing

students. A limitation could be identified as the low number of participants in the study.

Conclusion

This study reveals that nurse to patient communication is improved with a patient-

centered approach where quality healthcare is delivered (McCabe, 2004). It is felt that nurses are

task oriented and they are unaware of what patients’ value regarding the interactions between

them and their nurse. It is also believed organizations lack the understanding of the value in

nurses using a patient-centered approach. Suggestions indicate the quality of time nurses spend
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with their patients is more meaningful than the amount of time. It is the belief this behavior will

not change until the importance of communication is recognized.

Implications for Future Research

McCabe’s through process leads to the need for future research with focus studies. The

goal would be the identification of nurse’s behaviors that are meaningful to the patients they

serve, enhancing the nurse’s skill set (McCabe, 2004).

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References

Grove, S. K., Burns, N., and Gray, J. R. (2013). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal,

synthesis, and generation of evidence, 7th (ed.). St. Louis, MO.: Elsevier Saunders.

McCabe, C. (2004). Nurse-patient communication: An exploration of patients’ experience.

Journal of Clinical Nursing, 13, 41-49. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.1004.00817x