Nurses’ perspectives on supporting patient participation in atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment: A study of communication patterns

This qualitative study explores nurses’ perspectives on consultations in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim is to discover whether and how nurses support patient participation and how they talk about it. The data consist of transcribed interviews with ten nurses working in cardiac care at four Swedish hospitals. The analytical approach is a combination of content analysis and discourse analysis. The findings reveal the following interactive and communicative themes in supporting patient participation: Nurse's Routine Components: Routine interactions such as providing information during each visit, ensuring patient understanding, and encouraging active patient questions. Nurse's Knowledge-Based Contributions: Providing patients with knowledge about treatment options, their mechanisms, and the associated pros and cons. Nurses observe and address patient concerns, taking an active role in guiding patients through the AF treatment. Nurse's Intersubjective Alignment with the Patient: Forming genuine connections. This involves exchanging experiences, demonstrating empathy, and recognizing a shared humanity; accepting patients’ vulnerabilities, showing compassion, creating a safe space for expressing concerns; and allowing patients the necessary time to make decisions. All contribute to a person-centered approach involving patient participation. The study's communication-based approach offers useful insights for reflecting on how patient participation and the social values of nurses’ professional caring work within cardiology can be understood and developed as a caring communication activity type (CCAT).