A new therapeutic communication model "TAGEET" to help nurses engage therapeutically with patients suspected of or confirmed with COVID-19

AIM

To design and present a new communication model "TAGEET" to help nurses engage therapeutically with patients suspected of or confirmed with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease that brings with it fear and anxiety for all involved inclusive of nurses and patients. New guidelines for nurses to follow such as attention to physical distance coupled with the wearing of defined personal protective equipment, gloves, long-sleeved disposable gown, FFP2 face mask and eye protection place additional strain on nurses to engage therapeutically with patients. Evidence suggests that the wearing of face masks and personal protective equipment acts as barriers to effective therapeutic engagement with patients. We found an absence of communication models to help nurses engage therapeutically with patients.

DESIGN

This is a position paper that draws on previous research to inform the design of a new model for nurses to engage therapeutically with patients suspected of or confirmed with COVID-19.

METHOD

We reviewed the literature on caring for patients in isolation, the barriers to therapeutic communication and the psychological impact of infectious diseases on nurses and patients.

CONCLUSION

Remaining emotionally present to self, whilst being present to others can be challenging for nurses in a pandemic environment. We believe that the "TAGEET" model (T-Tune-in, A-Approach and introduce, G-Ground self, E-Engage and respond, E-End encounter, T-Tune-out), although devised for nurses to engage therapeutically with patients suspected of or confirmed with COVID-19 could be used by all healthcare professionals in any challenging clinical environment.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This new therapeutic communication model will provide support for nurses with how to manage self in the context of caring for others in a COVID-19 environment.

The good midwife: commencing students' views

OBJECTIVE

to explore commencing students' views of the good midwife. This study was set against a background of high course attrition and concerns that discordant students' views of midwifery practice may have been associated with course attrition.

DESIGN

qualitative thematic analysis.

SETTING

Melbourne, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

all commencing midwifery students, in 2008, were invited to participate (n = 41).

MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS

students spoke of a series of key attributes they felt were important to the role of the midwife. Most fell into the affective domain and four themes were identified: personal qualities and attitudes; a belief in women and natural birth; compatible work ethic; and the possession of additional attributes.

KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

commencing students showed a clear understanding of the affective attributes required of a good midwife but a lesser understanding of requirements of knowledge and competence. A small number of students felt that they were already equipped to advise pregnant women, despite their early stage in the course. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.

The costs of 'being with the woman': secondary traumatic stress in midwifery

OBJECTIVE

it is widely acknowledged that caring can cause emotional suffering in health-care professionals. The concepts of compassion fatigue, post-traumatic stress disorder and secondary traumatic stress are used to describe the potential consequences of caring for people who are or have experienced trauma. Empathy between the professional and patient or client is a key feature in the development of secondary traumatic stress. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the conceptual development of theory about dynamics in the midwife-woman relationship in the context of traumatic birth events, and to stimulate debate and research into the potential for traumatic stress in midwives who provide care in and through relationships with women.

METHOD

the relevant literature addressing secondary traumatic stress in health-care professionals was reviewed.

FINDINGS

it is argued that the high degree of empathic identification which characterises the midwife-woman relationship in midwifery practice places midwives at risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress when caring for women experiencing traumatic birth. It is suggested that this has harmful consequences for midwives' own mental health and for their capacity to provide care in their relationships with women, threatening the distinct nature of midwifery care.

CONCLUSIONS

opportunities for research to establish the existence of this phenomenon, and the potential implications for midwifery practice are identified.