Effective nurse parent communication: a study of parents' perceptions in the NICU environment.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined mothers' and fathers' perceptions of effective and ineffective communication by nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment, using communication accommodation theory (CAT) as the framework.


METHODS
Twenty mothers and 13 fathers participated in a semi-structured interview about their perceptions of effective and ineffective communication with nurses when their infant was in the NICU. The interviews were coded for using the CAT strategies.


RESULTS
Descriptions of effective and ineffective communication differed in terms of the strategies mentioned with effective communication about shared management of the interaction and appropriate support and reassurance by nurses. Ineffective communication was more about the interpretability strategy, particularly for fathers, and these interactions were seen as more intergroup. Mothers emphasised more being encouraged as equal partners in the care of their infant.


CONCLUSIONS
Effective communication by nurses was accommodative and more interpersonal while ineffective communication was generally under-accommodative and more intergroup.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings provide a framework for communication skills training for nurses that identifies both effective and ineffective communication strategies to use with mothers and fathers.
Jones
Liz
L
Griffith University, Australia. l.jones@griffith.edu.au
Woodhouse
Darlene
D
Rowe
Jennifer
J
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002673:Child, Hospitalized; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000458:organization & administration; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000458:organization & administration; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011793:Queensland; D012944:Social Support