Telenursing – communication skills and patient satisfaction
During my years in primary health care nursing, I spent many hours listening to people’s health care problems over the phone. I analysed problems, made assessments and collaborated on possible ways to proceed.
At the time, in the early 2000s, telenursing was largely unexplored. Successively, scientifically based knowledge in the area has increased. A number of studies have shown that the telenurse’s communication skills are crucial for safety, satisfaction and adherence. Why do patients call? What do they expect to achieve with their call? In what ways are decisions made during the discussion? How can we promote health in each call?
In my master’s thesis (2011) content validity of an existing caller satisfaction questionnaire was established. Since then, I have participated in a research project at Linköping University and the National Medical Advisory Service 1177. The overall purpose of the project is to improve telephone nurses’ communication skills and to evaluate the results in terms of caller satisfaction.
Teaching
Since 2006 I have combined clinical practice in primary health care with periods of teaching within the nursing programme at the University of Linköping. I have primarily facilitated group discussions in problem based learning, but I have also played an active role in areas such as proficiency training, examinations and serving as the contact teacher for students during their workplace-based education (VFU). I have mainly worked within the first half of the programme but I have also been a degree project supervisor in terms 5 and 6.
