An integrative review of the use of the concept of reassurance in clinical practice.
Samuel Akyirem, Yakubu Salifu, Jonathan Bayuo and 3 others
PMID 35274826WHAT IT FOUND
Reassurance in nursing care was described as noticing distress, giving honest clear information, being present, calm and respectful, and using touch or listening when appropriate.
Generic phrases such as 'you will be fine' and false optimism were described as unhelpful.
Key findings
01Emotional distress in patients and families was described as a trigger for reassurance, including overt signs such as crying and restlessness.
02Presence, calm manner, touch, active listening, respect and honest clear information were described as reassuring nursing actions.
03False reassurance and generic phrases such as 'you will be fine' were described as ineffective or potentially harmful.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included reflective essays and conceptual papers alongside primary studies, so some content is authors' opinion rather than patient or family data. Only English journal articles were included, and conference papers, dissertations and unavailable full texts were excluded, so relevant evidence may be missing. The included primary studies differed widely in design, setting, country and sample size, and quality was not used to exclude studies, so the evidence is not comparable. The review concluded there is no standardised way to define, deliver, document or measure reassurance, so it does not show that any technique improves outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The supplied text does not state who funded the review.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this review as evidence that reassurance techniques improve patient outcomes. It describes what patients, families and nurses said reassurance involves, and the review concluded there is no standardised, evidence-based way to deliver or measure it.