An integrative review of communication in a professional-parental relationship provided in child health services : An authoritarian or guiding approach

• ObjectivesEarly parental support, provided by nurses within child health services, aims to strengthen parents in their parenthood. The aim of this integrative review is to describe communication in parental support in encounters between child health nurses and parents in child health services.MethodsAn integrative review was conducted. The databases Cinahl+ , MedLine, Psych Info, and Scopus were searched, 312 articles were screened, and 16 articles were found to be eligible.ResultsThe studies included qualitative and quantitative methods, using interviews, focus group interviews, and observations. The findings show an overarching theme: The significance of mutuality in communication in a professional-parental relationship, further described in the following categories, 1) Authoritarian approach: a controlling manner, a neglecting manner, and a teaching manner; 2. Guiding approach: a counselling manner and a compliant manner.ConclusionsThe communication between nurses and parents can be understood as having several layers; the organisational context, the professional skills, knowledge, and experiences, and parents’ knowledge, expectations, and needs. There is a lack of studies of authentic communication between nurses and parents; thus, future research is warranted.Practice implications:The authoritarian and guiding approaches in parental support show the required skills a nurse is expected to have, but sufficient organizational prerequisites are also crucial.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Child health nurses

Child health services

Communication

Integrative review

Support

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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