Comparing Perceptions of Patient Nonparticipation in Nursing Care: A Secondary Analysis

Purpose Patient participation is characterized by dyadic patient–nurse interactions that enable patients to passively or actively participate in communicative and physical care activities. Less research has been conducted on nonparticipation. Examining this phenomenon may highlight issues to address and identify strategies that may ultimately promote patient participation and move the rhetoric of patient participation to a reality. The aim of this secondary analysis was to explore hospital patients’ and nurses’ perceptions of nonparticipation in nursing care specifically focused on communication and self‐care. Design Secondary supplementary analysis of qualitative data. We collated original transcripts from one dataset that included 20 patient and 20 nurse interviews conducted at two hospitals in Australia, in November 2013 to March 2014. Methods Interviews were arranged into units of analysis dependent on group (patient/nurse) and setting (public/private hospital) and were reanalyzed using manifest, inductive content analysis. Findings Two categories were found: (a) nurses impeding two‐way clinical communication; and (b) patients and nurses disregarding patients’ self‐care efforts. These categories describe that nonparticipation occurred when nurses inhibited communication, and when patients were not involved in self‐care while hospitalized or during discharge planning. Conclusions Perceptions of nonparticipation differ across settings, having implications for how patient participation recommendations are enacted in different contexts. Clinical Relevance There is no one‐size‐fits‐all approach; nurses need to identify common instances of nonparticipation within their setting and develop and implement strategies to promote patient participation that are suited to their context.