New ways to communicate: Intensive care nurses’ perspectives on using the digital application Talk2Care. A qualitative study

Background: An increasing proportion of mechanically ventilated patients are held awake or lightly sedated. These patients require advanced communication skills and sufficient time from the intensive care nurses. In recent years, different digital applications have been developed to facilitate communication with this patient group. Aim: This study aims to report intensive care nurses’ experiences with the novel communication application “Talk2Care”. Methods: A qualitative design was applied to this study. Interviews were conducted with four intensive care nurses from two hospitals. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and were reported according to The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Checklist (COREQ). Results: The nurses in the study experienced that “Talk2Care” can help patients express complex emotions, pain, and practical requests. However, the application has several deficiencies. Four themes were constructed: “Allowing for more nuanced communication”, “Investing time and experience in communication”, “Overcoming implementation obstacles” and “Navigating patient limitations”. Conclusion: “Talk2Care” has the potential to improve communication with awake, mechanically ventilated patients. However, its effectiveness is limited by the patient’s physical and mental state. Motivation, experience, and available time can also influence the nurses’ use of the application. All of the above require an active adaptation and thorough implementation to identify suitable patients and overcome the barriers to its use.