Communicating with individuals receiving home mechanical ventilation: the experiences of key communication partners.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to explore the communication experiences of key communications partners (CPs) of individuals receiving home mechanical ventilation (HMV), with particular emphasis on the possibilities, difficulties and limitations CPs experienced in communication, possible support given to facilitate communication and exploring what made a skilled communicator.


METHODS
A qualitative research design using interviews was used. The participants included 19 key CPs of individuals receiving HMV.


RESULTS
The analysis resulted in five themes: Encountering communication limitations, Functional communication strategies, Being a communication facilitator, Role insecurity and Emotional reactions and coping. The findings revealed that CPs needed to develop partly new reference frames for communication. In particular, participants emphasised the need to understand and interpret subtle details in the communicative interaction.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings are discussed in the light of previous research, in particular an earlier study exploring another perspective; the ventilator-supported individuals' experiences of communication. Issues relating to the educational needs of CPs of individuals receiving HMV are discussed. The results are intended to enhance understanding of the challenges that individuals receiving HMV and their CPs face with communication, which should be of relevance not only to speech therapists, but for all healthcare practitioners in the field of HMV.
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Division of Speech and Language Pathology, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden .
Katja
K
Laakso
Agneta
A
Markström
Christina
C
Havstam
Markus
M
Idvall
Lena
L
Hartelius
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D003144:Communication Barriers; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D013070:Speech Therapy; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013548:Sweden
Communication partner; home mechanical ventilation; qualitative content analysis; speech therapy