Communication and empathy of nursing students in patient care through telenursing: A comparative cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundPhone calls and videoconferences are the most widely used systems to interact with patients in real time. Patient care through phone calls or videoconferences is different from an in-person meeting. Interpersonal communication skills, self-confidence communication skills and empathy with the patient may be affected during phone calls or videoconferences. AimThe objective of this study was to describe the interpersonal communication skills, self-confidence communication skills and empathy of nursing students during patient care through phone calls or videoconferences. DesignA cross-sectional study. ParticipantsA total of 170 nursing students participated from the University of Almeria. The subjects were randomly assigned to the phone call group or videoconference group. MethodsThe students contacted standardised patients through phone calls or videoconferences. Questionnaires were used to assess interpersonal communication skills with patient, empathy, and self-confidence in communication skills. Data collection was carried out between March and May 2022. ResultsNo statistically significant differences were found between self-confidence in communication skills with the patient and the type of consultation, nor were statistically significant differences found between the empathy of the nursing students and the type of consultation. The students who used videoconference reported higher patient interpersonal communication skills than the students who made phone calls. Finally, the participants who made videoconferences obtained a higher score in dimension therapeutic use of self than those who made phone calls. ConclusionsNursing students have shown a high level of empathy and interpersonal communication skills with patients and a moderate level of self-confidence in communication skills, both when interacting with patients through phone calls and videoconferences. Finally, differences were found in interpersonal communication skills with patient and type of consultation. In particular, interpersonal communication skills with the patient are greater when the nursing students make a videoconference.