The quality of nurse-patient communication: experiences in the context of rurality in the province of Chaco

Abstract

Introduction: the quality of the encounter between the nurse and the patient makes the difference between a humanized practice and an instrumental one; for this reason, an interpersonal relationship, beyond the execution of procedures and techniques, is a great opportunity for growth and maturation for the patient and the nurse herself. Objective: to analyze the communication between the patient and the nurse in the context of rurality in the San Pedro Pescador neighborhood of Chaco province. Methods: observational, descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional, retrospective study in the province of Chaco from January to March 2022. The sample consisted of 11 nurses and 72 patients. A questionnaire of sociodemographic and labor data elaborated ad hoc for the study was used; and on the other hand, a nurse-patient communication questionnaire comprising aspects related to the quality of communication in both samples. Results: the female sex prevailed with 81,8 % and 55,6 % in nurses and patients, respectively. The average age of nurses was 44,6±14.1 and 41,1±15,2 in patients. Significant differences were found in the perceptions of nursing staff and patients regarding the use of medical terminology by nurses and regarding the coverage of nurse-patient communication needs. Conclusions: the perceptions of both groups show a good assessment of the nursing staff which is in accordance with the self-perception of the nursing staff, of communication in a highly effective condition during their care