Healthcare providers’ communication experience in the pediatric intensive care unit: a phenomenological study

Abstract

Background: Healthcare providers must effectively communicate with other professionals, multidisciplinary teams, and parents of patients in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) to improve outcomes in children and satisfaction levels of parents. Few studies have focused on healthcare providers’ communication experiences, which are crucial for identifying current problems and suggesting future directions. This phenomenological study was conducted to address this gap. Methods: A qualitative study using online and face-to-face interviews was conducted from January to June 2021 by a trained researcher in PICUs of two tertiary hospitals. Participants were five physicians and four registered nurses who worked in the PICUs and had over five years of clinical experience. The interviews were audio recorded with the participant’s consent and analyzed by the researchers using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. Results: Healthcare providers’ communication experiences revealed four categories: facing communication difficulties in PICUs, communication relying on individual competencies without established communication methods, positive and negative experiences gained through the communication process, and finding the most effective communication approach. Conclusions: Without adequate support or a systematic training program, healthcare providers often have to overcome communication challenges on their own. Therefore, support and training programs should be developed to facilitate better communication in the future.