Premium
Solution‐focused conversations: a new therapeutic strategy in well child health nursing telephone consultations
Author(s) -
Polaschek Linda,
Polaschek Nick
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04314.x
Subject(s) - conversation , nursing , focus group , qualitative research , medicine , perception , service (business) , conversation analysis , psychology , medical education , social science , economy , communication , marketing , neuroscience , sociology , economics , business
Title. Solution‐focused conversations: a new therapeutic strategy in well child health nursing telephone consultationsAim. This paper is a report of a study to explore well child nurses’ perceptions of outcomes resulting from the use of solution‐focused conversations in their telephone consultations with clients. Background. Well child nurses (health visitors) in some services provide a separate telephone consultation service for parents who need immediate advice or are unable to visit the clinic. As well as purely physical issues suggesting infant pathology, these consultations address a range of other concerns relating to parenting and child behaviour. The standard problem‐solving approach used to address physical issues is less effective for various non‐physical concerns, where different communication strategies may be helpful. Method. In this qualitative, action‐oriented study, a small group of well child telenurses in New Zealand was introduced to a specific communication strategy, called ‘solution‐focused conversations’, during 2005. They applied this approach in their practice and then reflected together on their experiences in focus groups. Findings. The nurses considered that the solution‐focused conversations enabled clients to: recognize the nature of the parenting issue of concern that had motivated their call; identify more effective parenting practices to address specific issues with their child; increase their confidence in their own parenting capabilities. Conclusion. This study suggested the value of learning a specific communication strategy for the practice of a group of well child telenurses. Solution‐focused conversation is a suitable approach for the single, relatively short, interactions involved in telephone nursing. Other communication strategies could be appropriate for nurses in different clinical situations.