Communication Between Patients and Healthcare Professionals in Neurological Hospitalisation: A Qualitative Photo-Voice Study.
Janet F Jensen, Pernille Würtz Boehm, Liv Gølnitz Hjorhöy and 1 others
PMID 41063625WHAT IT FOUND
Patients in neurological hospitalisation and healthcare professionals described communication as connected care: shared understanding, flexible environments, and seeing the person before the diagnosis.
Time pressure and medical language made this difficult.
Key findings
01The central theme was 'the core of connected care', made up of guided alignment, a changing environment, and human before patient.
02Patients valued being treated as individuals through simple acts such as sitting at eye level, giving a warm greeting, or talking about personal items.
03Healthcare professionals described time pressure, interruptions, lack of privacy, and multiple communication systems as barriers to shared understanding.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included a small number of patients and healthcare professionals from one Danish neurological department, so the themes may not fit other settings. The paper reports different counts of healthcare professionals in different sections, so the exact number analysed is unclear. Healthcare professional interviews were done during working hours, and some appeared time-pressured, which may have shortened responses. Patients were interviewed during hospitalisation, and cognitive or language difficulties could affect recall and interpretation. The researchers were familiar with the department, which helped access but could also mask unusual or problematic aspects. Qualitative findings describe experiences and themes; they do not show that any communication strategy improves patient outcomes.
Declared interests
The supplied text does not report authors' conflicts of interest or funding. The supplied publication types include research support from a non-U.S. government source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that connected care improves neurological outcomes. This study reports experiences and themes from a small qualitative sample, not measured effects.