title: Effective nurse parent communication: a study of parents' perceptions in the NICU environment.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Griffith University, Australia. l.jones@griffith.edu.au
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Darlene
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Woodhouse
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: 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