Multiple balances in workplace dialogue: experiences of an intervention in health care

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 267-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Grill ◽  
Gunnar Ahlborg Jr ◽  
Ewa Wikström ◽  
Eva-Carin Lindgren

Purpose – This paper aims to illuminate and analyse the participants’ experiences of the influences of a dialogue intervention. Cooperation and coordination in health care require planning of dialogically oriented communication to prevent stress and ill health and to promote health, well-being, learning and efficiency in the organisation. Design/methodology/approach – An intervention method based on dialogue theory, with Socratic provocations and concrete workplace examples enhanced authenticity of conversations. A qualitative study, using qualitative content analysis, entailed interviews with 24 nurses, assistant nurses and paramedics, strategically selected from 156 intervention participants. Findings – Two themes emerged, dialogue-learning processes and dialogue-promoting communicative actions. The first includes risk-taking to overcome resistance and fear of dialogue, expressing openly thoughts and feelings on concrete issues and taboo subjects, listening to and reflecting on one’s own and others’ perspectives and problematising norms and values. The second comprises voicing opinions, and regarding one’s own limits; requesting support and room for manoeuvre; and restraining negative emotions and comments in the interest of well-being. Findings depict strengthened awareness and readiness regarding dialogue and multiple balancing of dialogue at work. Research limitations/implications – This study implies further observing and examining of communicative patterns during workplace dialogue. Practical implications – A useful approach to communication development for occupational health and personnel in health care and other workplace contexts. Originality/value – Previously, arenas have been created for dialogue, but close-process studies of dialogue in health-care work are scarce. This study provides insights into how workplace communication can develop towards dialogue.

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Koltsida ◽  
Lise-Lotte Jonasson

Abstract Background The work of registered nurses in home health care is complicated and extensive, and information technology (IT) is used in everyday activities. Coordination between care and resource efficiency is important. There is a wealth of information that supports the notion of sustainable development, but what sustainable development means from the perspective of the registered nurse in home health care when using IT is limited. The term “sustainable development” is not clearly defined and is poorly researched in nursing. Sustainable development in this study includes the ecological, economic, social, technical and ethical dimensions. The aim of this study was to describe registered nurses’ experience of IT use in home health care through a sustainable development model. Methods This study was conducted using ten semi-structured lifeworld interviews with registered nurses. The method employed was a qualitative content analysis with a deductive approach. The deductive approach consisted of a model of sustainable development. Results Analysis of the interviews and the model of sustainable development provided categories: using IT from an ecological dimension, the registered nurses experienced reduced consumption and damage to the environment; using IT in the economical dimension, saving of time and resources was experienced; the use of IT affected social aspects such as the work environment and patient safety, and positive consequences, such as accessibility, were also mentioned; using IT from a technical dimension was characterized by the nurse’s attitude towards it – the registered nurses felt it improved the quality of care and gave users an overview of the organization; and from an ethical dimension, the registered nurses expressed the need for IT to be adaptable to the patient’s well-being and indicated that more awareness of risks in the care meeting may be needed. Conclusion The findings are discussed based on the synergies and conflicts that arise between the different dimensions of sustainable development. IT intertwines and overlaps with, and within, the environment, economy, society, technology and ethics. Registered nurses in home health care want to conduct good and safe care, while using IT could benefit patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 511-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Engström ◽  
Mattias Elg

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore what motivates patients to participate in service development and how participation may influence their well-being. Health-care providers are increasingly adopting practices of customer participation in such activities to improve their services. Design/methodology/approach – This paper builds on an analysis of data from a service development project in which lung cancer patients contributed by sharing their ideas and experiences through diaries. Out of the 86 lung cancer patients who were invited to participate, 20 agreed to participate and 14 fully completed the task. The study builds on participants’ contributions, in-depth interviews with six participants and the reasons patients gave for not participating. Findings – This paper identifies a number of motives: non-interest in participating, restitution after poor treatment, desire for contact with others, volunteerism, desire to make a contribution and the enjoyment of having a task to complete. A self-determination theory perspective was adopted to show how the need to satisfy basic human needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness determines if and how patients participate. Participation may have important benefits for patients, especially an improved sense of relatedness. Practical implications – Service providers must be prepared to meet different patient needs in service development, ranging from the need to express strong distress to expressing creativity. By understanding the dynamics of motivation and well-being, organizers may achieve better results in terms of improved services and in patient well-being. Originality/value – This study makes a significant contribution to the study of customer participation in service development, especially in relation to health care, by offering a self-determination-based typology for describing different styles of patient participation.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Seppänen ◽  
Inka Koskela ◽  
Heli Heikkilä ◽  
Helena Leino-Kilpi ◽  
Päivi Rautava ◽  
...  

Purpose Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is increasingly important in work and workplace learning. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of IPC that are relevant for learning and developing at work. Design/methodology/approach We examine IPC in the discussion data of health care professionals when designing, implementing and evaluating developmental tasks. Qualitative content analysis is carried out on temporally sequential task trajectories, considering IPC from the perspective of the objects and goals of IPC task activity in developmental efforts. Findings The developmentally relevant characteristics of IPC are crystallized in the concepts of coordination, co-creation and community building, which play different, interdependent roles in development efforts. We show their interplay and how they complement each other in practice. Research limitations/implications Our findings regarding IPC characteristics are to be interpreted as working hypotheses and resources for further research. Practical implications Understanding the dynamics of IPC is useful for renewing work practices. Attention to the interplay and complementarity of IPC characteristics may help in the design and implementation of effective and sustained development efforts. Originality/value The dynamics of IPC in developmental settings have not been sufficiently studied. This paper proposes three developmentally relevant and intertwined characteristics of IPC for scholars of workplace learning.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-135
Author(s):  
Juliana Thompson ◽  
Sue Tiplady ◽  
Glenda Cook

Purpose “Experts by experience' (EBE) involvement in professional health-care education programmes contributes to developing students” caring skills by supporting students’ understanding of the lived experience and reality of service-users’ situations. Also, involvement in health-care education is a beneficial experience for EBEs themselves. This study aims to explore specifically older people’s experiences and perceptions of their involvement of EBE in gerontological education to generate insight into their understanding of this experience. Design/methodology/approach In this qualitative study, EBEs contributing to delivery of health-care professional education programmes at a UK university took part in focus groups (n = 14) to discuss their views and experiences of involvement in EBE teaching. Data were analysed using open coding. Findings Four themes emerged from the data, suggesting that older EBEs’ involvement in education may be beneficial for their well-being. The four themes were “contributing to improved care”, “having a purpose”, “being included” and “feeling appreciated”. Practical implications Findings support the requirement for nurse educators to develop EBE programmes that involve older people as not only a teaching strategy for students but also a method of promoting the health and well-being of the older EBEs. Originality/value There is limited research regarding specifically older EBEs’ experiences of involvement in gerontological education. This is an important area of study because involvement in education may constitute a means of engaging in social, community and voluntary activities for older people, which recent UK health policies advocate as methods of promoting and facilitating healthy ageing.


2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 437-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Grill ◽  
G. Ahlborg Jr ◽  
E. Wikström

Purpose – Middle managers in health care today are expected to continuously and efficiently decide and act in administration, finance, care quality, and work environment, and strategic communication has become paramount. Since dialogical communication is considered to promote a healthy work environment, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the ways in which health care managers experienced observing subordinates’ dialogue training. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and documents from eight middle managers in a dialogue programme intervention conducted by dialogue trainers. Focus was on fostering and assisting workplace dialogue. Conventional qualitative content analysis was used. Findings – Managers’ experiences were both enriching and demanding, and consisted of becoming aware of communication, meaning perceiving interaction between subordinates as well as own silent interaction with subordinates and trainer; Discovering communicative actions for leadership, by gaining self-knowledge and recognizing relational leadership models from trainers – such as acting democratically and pedagogically – and converting theory into practice, signifying practising dialogue-promoting conversation behaviour with subordinates, peers, and superiors. Research limitations/implications – Only eight managers participated in the intervention, but data afforded a basis for further research. Practical implications – Findings stressed the importance of listening, and of support from superiors, for well-functioning leadership communication at work. Originality/value – Studies focusing on health care managers’ communication and dialogue are few. This study contributes to knowledge about these activities in managerial leadership.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole F. Stowell ◽  
Carl Pacini ◽  
Martina K. Schmidt ◽  
Nathan Wadlinger

Purpose This study aims to increase awareness and educate the reader about health-care fraud targeting seniors in the USA to help stakeholders better understand, recognize and prevent this type of fraud. Design/methodology/approach This paper collects statistics on the current state of health care frauds committed against seniors, and examines related cases and laws. Findings The authors find this type of fraud is highly prevalent and expected to increase. Current laws preventing this fraud from occurring are multifold and complex. While prevention strategies through law enforcement have been somewhat successful, a reduction in resources may put seniors at an increased risk in the years to come. Research limitations/implications Without additional prevention strategies, the problem will likely escalate with a growing population of older adults. This study encourages further research into effective prevention strategies and methods to fight health-care fraud against seniors. Practical implications Health-care fraud and its associated costs pose a significant threat to the society and economy of the USA. Reducing this fraud will not only reduce the costs to the US economy but also improve the physical and mental well-being of senior victims, reduce their mortality and hospitalization rates and improve the public trust placed to health-care providers. Originality/value This study highlights how health-care fraud is committed against seniors. With the projected trend of an aging US population, educating stakeholders, increasing awareness and applying tools to protect seniors will be important to reduce the absolute scope of this problem in the future.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayanta Sen ◽  
Debarati Das

Purpose This paper aims to deal with a closer look into the nature and extent of consumer expenditure inequality in India to identify the major contributions those are embedded, particularly after the economic reforms. Relative contributions of major consumption items/sources to the overall expenditure inequality are quantitatively examined in terms of a decomposition exercise. Eventually, the paper investigates the relative marginal effects of expenditure components/sources on overall inequality. Design/methodology/approach Gini index is used to measure the degree of inequality in consumer expenditure. Contribution of each expenditure sources to overall inequality is estimated by using source decomposition technique of Gini index contributed by Lerman and Yitzhaki. Findings The study observes that the inequality in consumer expenditure has increased in both the rural and the urban parts of India during the post-reform period. Non-food expenditure is more unevenly distributed, and it has been found to be more pro-rich in nature. Expenditure on cereals and pulses still exhibits higher inequality-reducing effect in rural and urban India. Education and health-care expenses have been inequality-increasing in the country. Contribution of expenditure on miscellaneous consumer services, durable goods, education and health care to the overall expenditure inequality is significantly higher. Originality/value The study identifies the capacity of different expenditure sources towards increasing or decreasing the overall inequality which is crucial for better redistributive policies to be adopted to enhance the well-being of the economy in real sense.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kia Ditlevsen ◽  
Annemette Nielsen

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide knowledge on barriers to preventive action on early childhood overweight in non-western migrant families. It investigates the underlying understandings of the parental role in relation to weight control present in health-care professionals and in families. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on qualitative interviews with parents who are engaged in interventions aimed at helping them and their children to adopt a healthier life style, and on interviews with health-care professionals. Findings This study shows that the participating parents, all low SES and living under different forms of insecurity, perceived their parental task for the present as creating well-being for their children, and they were, therefore, reluctant to enforce dietary changes. The health-care professionals, in contrast, considered the need for change through a perspective on future risks. Research limitations/implications The results are based on a rather small sample and the link between insecurity, family dynamics and health practice needs further research. Originality/value The participating parents represented a group that is rarely included in scientific research and the study, therefore, contributes valuable knowledge on health behavior in ethnic minority families. The empirical analysis provides new insights for health professionals regarding the suitability of the universal model of parental feeding styles. It illuminates the implications of implicitly applying this model in health interventions which involve vulnerable categories of parents such as refugees to western societies.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Åsa Vidman ◽  
Annika Strömberg

Purpose Recruiting and retaining staff to work with elderly people in social care is a global issue. The quality of leadership is considered important because it influences employees’ job satisfaction, job turnover and health. This paper aims to identify leadership that employees in residential elderly care facilities in Sweden consider as contributing towards a healthy work environment. Design/methodology/approach The authors interviewed 14 persons employed in facilities organized in different ways. The data from these interviews was analysed using qualitative content analysis.. Findings The results showed that the employees felt that their health partly depended on the attributes that leaders possessed, what leaders do and how leaders do it. This study confirms that leadership influences the perception of a healthy workplace. It also shows that questions about leadership are complex. Originality/value Research about factors that increase health risks is wide-ranging; however, research that examines factors that promote health, especially how leadership influences employees’ well-being, is not as comprehensive.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 359-372
Author(s):  
Catherine Anne Nicole Lorentzen ◽  
Berit Viken

Purpose There is a need for cost-effective strategies to counteract mental health challenges among immigrant women. This study aims to identify how nature might improve the mental health status of immigrant women residing in Norway. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data were gathered through individual interviews with 14 immigrant women from Iran (2), Poland (2), Palestine, Afghanistan, Congo, Kenya, Thailand, Russia, Portugal, Latvia, Colombia and Bulgaria. Findings The qualitative content analysis revealed that interaction with nature positively influenced the immigrant women’s mental health. This occurred because of the following: exposure to nature itself, leading to mood enhancements; familiarization with the new country’s culture, nature, climate and language, facilitating feelings of mastery, attachment and belonging; social interactions, promoting immediate well-being and future social support; interacting with nature in familiar ways, reducing feelings of alienation/loss; and physical activity, improving mood and stress-related conditions. These mental health improvements were a result of interactions with various types of natural environments. Originality/value This study supports the promotion of interaction with nature among immigrant women as part of low-cost public health work. Practitioners should consider multiple arenas for potential nature-related mental health gains.


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