JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

There is growing concern regarding the implications of miscommunication in health care settings, the results of which can have serious detrimental impacts on patient safety and health outcomes. Effective communication between nurses and patients is integral in the delivery of timely, competent and safe care. In a hospital environment, where care is delivered 24 hours day, interpreters are not always available. In 2014, we developed a communication app, to support patient interactions with Allied Health clinicians when interpreters are not present. In 2017, we expanded this app to meet the needs of the Nursing workforce. The app contains a fixed set of phrases translated into common languages and communication is supported by text, images, audio and video content.

Objective:

To evaluate the efficacy of a communication app to support Nursing staff during the provision of standard care with patients from non-English speaking backgrounds when an interpreter is not available.

Methods:

Qualitative analysis using thematic content analysis and quantitative analysis using inferential statistics were used during this evaluation. A total of 140 observation sessions of everyday nurse-patient interactions and 396 app usage sessions were recorded. Additionally, a total of 140 surveys with Nursing staff, seven interviews with patients and three focus groups with a total of nine Nursing staff participants were held between January and November, 2017.

Results:

In the absence of the app, interactions with patients from English-speaking backgrounds were rated better than interactions with patients from non-English speaking backgrounds. When staff used the app the interactions with patients from non-English speaking backgrounds were rated as more successful. Additionally, staff report of ‘confidence’ in patient’s understanding increased when the app was used to communicate, while the level of staff frustration was rated lower. Most participants indicated that the app assisted them to communicate.

Conclusions:

Through the use of the app, a number of patients from non-English speaking backgrounds received quality care in line with their English-speaking peers. Thus, the app can be seen to have contributed to the delivery of equitable healthcare.