Aim: To explore which factors, influencing dietary behaviour change support among patients by Dutch community nurses (CNs; nurses), are key focal points in training programmes. Background: Nurses have an important role in counselling patients towards healthier dietary behaviour to prevent or delay long-term complications from chronic lifestyle-related diseases. Most nurses do not incorporate dietary behaviour change support in their routines to the fullest potential. Design: A qualitative descriptive study. Methods: Data were collected in the Netherlands in 2018–2019 via semi-structured face-to-face interviews with 18 nurses. Interview guide themes were informed by the COM-B model, using validated descriptions in Dutch. Data were recorded, transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Factors that affected dietary behaviour change support were linked to (1) the nurse (role identity, dietary knowledge and competences such as methodical approach, behaviour change techniques and communication techniques), (2) nurse–patient encounter (building a relationship with a patient, supporting patient autonomy and tailoring the approach) and (3) cooperation and organizational context. Conclusion: It is of utmost importance to pay attention to nurses' role identity regarding dietary behaviour change support, as this underlies professional behaviour. This should be accompanied by improving competences on dietary behaviour change support. Focus on competences regarding the application of behaviour change technique is crucial. Furthermore, having a relationship of trust with a patient was important for discussing sensitive topics such as diet. Impact: The promotion of a healthy diet provides opportunities to contribute to patient autonomy and self-management. Well-fitted training offers for (senior) nurses will lead to improved professional practice of nurses, leading to healthier dietary behaviour of patients.
Aims. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the level of emotional intelligence of mental health nurses in the Netherlands. Background. The focus in research on emotional intelligence to date has been on a variety of professionals. However, little is known about emotional intelligence in mental health nurses. Method. The emotional intelligence of 98 Dutch nurses caring for psychiatric patients is reported. Data were collected with the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory within a cross-sectional research design. Results. The mean level of emotional intelligence of this sample of professionals is statistically significant higher than the emotional intelligence of the general population. Female nurses score significantly higher than men on the subscales Empathy, Social Responsibility, Interpersonal Relationship, Emotional Self-awareness, Self-Actualisation and Assertiveness. No correlations are found between years of experience and age on the one hand and emotional intelligence on the other hand. Conclusions. The results of this study show that nurses in psychiatric care indeed score above average in the emotional intelligence required to cope with the amount of emotional labour involved in daily mental health practice. Relevance to clinical practice. The ascertained large range in emotional intelligence scores among the mental health nurses challenges us to investigate possible implications which higher or lower emotional intelligence levels may have on the quality of care. For instance, a possible relation between the level of emotional intelligence and the quality of the therapeutic nurse–patient relationship or the relation between the level of emotional intelligence and the manner of coping with situations characterised by a great amount of emotional labour (such as caring for patients who self-harm or are suicidal).
BACKGROUND: Patient participation in nursing documentation has several benefits like including patients' personal wishes in tailor-made care plans and facilitating shared decision-making. However, the rise of electronic health records may not automatically lead to greater patient participation in nursing documentation. This study aims to gain insight into community nurses' experiences regarding patient participation in electronic nursing documentation, and to explore the challenges nurses face and the strategies they use for dealing with challenges regarding patient participation in electronic nursing documentation.METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was used, based on the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Nineteen community nurses working in home care and using electronic health records were recruited using purposive sampling. Interviews guided by an interview guide were conducted face-to-face or by phone in 2019. The interviews were inductively analysed in an iterative process of data collection-data analysis-more data collection until data saturation was achieved. The steps of thematic analysis were followed, namely familiarization with data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and reporting.RESULTS: Community nurses believed patient participation in nursing documentation has to be tailored to each patient. Actual participation depended on the phase of the nursing process that was being documented and was facilitated by patients' trust in the accuracy of the documentation. Nurses came across challenges in three domains: those related to electronic health records (i.e. technical problems), to work (e.g. time pressure) and to the patients (e.g. the medical condition). Because of these challenges, nurses frequently did the documentation outside the patient's home. Nurses still tried to achieve patient participation by verbally discussing patients' views on the nursing care provided and then documenting those views at a later moment.CONCLUSIONS: Although community nurses consider patient participation in electronic nursing documentation important, they perceive various challenges relating to electronic health records, work and the patients to realize patient participation. In dealing with these challenges, nurses often fall back on verbal communication about the documentation. These insights can help nurses and policy makers improve electronic health records and develop efficient strategies for improving patient participation in electronic nursing documentation.
