Communication culture in cancer nursing care: an ethnographic study

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the communication culture in nursing care of patients with cancer. METHODS: This ethnographic study was conducted in 2018-2019. Data were collected through participatory observation (318 h of observing nurses, patients, and family behaviors), semi-structured interviews (8 interviews with nurses), and informal interactions. Data were analyzed using Spradley's framework. RESULTS: The study results in five cultural components of "communication determinants," "experimental acquisition of communication skills," "gradual empathetic communication," "avoidant communication with patient," and "communication with family as caregiver." "Communication between nurse, patient and family is an experimental, gradual and avoidant relationship" was the study's cultural statement. CONCLUSION: In this study, the nurse-patient communication was influenced by factors related to the patient, the nurse and the care environment, and nurses acquired communication skills experimentally. There were two patterns of empathetic and avoidant communication between the nurse and the patient. For having high-quality care, nurses' behavioral patterns must be improved and changed in some cases. Nursing professors, managers, and nurses can use these results in training, hiring, orienting novice nurses, and empowering oncology nurses. Training communication skills to nurses and changing managers and nurses' approach to move from task-oriented care to holistic care help improve nurses' communication patterns.