Hemşirelerin Alzheimer Hastalarıyla İletişim Deneyimlerinin İncelenmesi: Nitel Bir Çalışma

Abstract

The aim of this study is to explore the communication experiences of nurses who provide care to patients with Alzheimer’s disease in Turkey. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed. The study population consisted of nurses residing in Turkey who had been caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease for at least six months. Snowball sampling was used to reach participants, and data collection was concluded after interviews were conducted with 12 nurses, upon reaching data saturation as determined by the researchers. Data were collected using a "Demographic Information Form" and a "Semi-Structured Interview Form." The data were analyzed through content analysis, revealing five main themes and nineteen sub-themes. The findings were categorized under the following themes: current state of communication with Alzheimer’s patients, perception of therapeutic communication, barriers to therapeutic communication, facilitators of therapeutic communication, and suggestions for supporting therapeutic communication. The results indicated that nurses found communicating with Alzheimer’s patients to be a challenging experience, yet they expressed a sense of satisfaction when effective communication was achieved. Participants shared their experiences regarding ineffective approaches to communication, as well as the skills and techniques that supported therapeutic communication, including agitation management. While emphasizing the existence of communication barriers, they also highlighted factors that facilitate communication with Alzheimer’s patients. Additionally, the nurses pointed out a lack of knowledge regarding appropriate language use and approaches, and underlined the need for education in this area. Based on these findings, it is recommended that regular and ongoing “effective communication” training programs be organized, considering the specific nature of Alzheimer’s disease.