Emotional communication in home care: a comparison between Norway and Sweden.

Abstract

Objective Given the free movement of workers across countries, knowledge regarding communicationdifferences between countries is imperative. In this study, we explored and compared the supportiveresponses of nursing staff to older persons’ emotions in home care in Norway and Sweden. Methods The study had an observational, cross-sectional, comparative design, which included 383audio-recorded home-care visits. Communication was coded using Verona Coding Definitions ofEmotional Sequences. Worries and responses were categorised with regard to reference, communicativefunction and level of person-centredness. Standard statistical tests were used to analyse the data. Results The Swedish nursing staff provided space for further disclosure of worry more frequently thanthe Norwegian nursing staff (75.0 % versus 60.2 %, χ2 = 20.758, p < 0.01). In all, 65 % of the responses weresupportive. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that highly person-centred responses wereindependently associated with worries phrasing an emotion, OR (95 % CI) 3.282 (1.524–7.067). Conclusion The level of person-centredness was associated with the way in which older personsexpressed their distress. The Swedish nursing staff provided opportunities for further disclosure ofworries more frequently than the Norwegian nursing staff. Practice implications Findings of intercultural differences should be incorporated into the training ofnursing staff