Journal of Neonatal Nursing
Volume 25, Issue 4, 2019, Pages 194-199

Immigrant parents' experiences of communicating with healthcare professionals at the neonatal unit: An interview study (Article)

Patriksson K.* , Nilsson S. , Wigert H.
  • a Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Division of Pediatrics, NÄL Hospital, Trollhättan, S-46185, Sweden
  • b Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
  • c Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Division of Neonatology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, S-46185, Sweden

Abstract

Background: When newborn children of immigrants require care in a neonatal unit, parents frequently encounter not only a new language, but also a new healthcare organisation. Aim: To examine parents’ experiences of communication with healthcare professionals in a neonatal unit when language barriers are present. Method: Twenty interviews were conducted with families who spoke Arabic and had a child who had been cared for at one of five neonatal care units, level II-III in western Sweden. The interviews were analysed using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach. Results: The main theme, having the opportunity to exercise one's parental role, included four themes encountering emotional warmth, feeling accepted, encountering a lack of understanding, and compensating for inadequate language skills. Conclusion: It is not only language barriers that affect communication between parents and healthcare professionals; different expectations and pre-understandings are also of importance. © 2019 Neonatal Nurses Association

Author Keywords

families Immigrant Phenomenological hermeneutics Interpreter Neonatal unit qualitative

Index Keywords

male female immigrant newborn care Sweden heat expectation skill language exercise Article interview hermeneutics human child parent relation human experiment Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85062803656&doi=10.1016%2fj.jnn.2019.03.007&partnerID=40&md5=c4a82ddbc093dfea782a7d93e628e9fe
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnn.2019.03.007
ISSN: 13551841
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English