Patients' experiences of receiving information from nurses during their stay in the emergency department : A literature review

Background: Becoming acutely ill and being treated in an emergency department can be an unpleasant experience for patients who suddenly become dependent on healthcare professionals to maintain their health.To feel safe and included in their care, patients need information about their illness and care plan, which requires good communication between healthcare professionals and patients.Emergency departments face challenges with increased workload and limited resources, therefore we want to investigate how patients experience information.Objective: The aim of this study was to describe patients' experiences of receiving information from healthcare staff during their stay at the emergency department.Method: A literature review was conducted, including 15 qualitative studies from five different countries.The articles were selected through searches in the medical databases PubMed and CINAHL and were quality-assessed using the SBU checklist for qualitative research studies.The results were interpreted using thematic analysis.Results: Patients expressed a need to receive information about waiting times and how the organization worked.There was also a desire to receive information about their care plan.The importance of receiving information about their medical condition in an individually tailored way in order to feel included in their care was also expressed.The non-verbal communication of healthcare professionals was also highlighted as an important factor that influenced patients' behavior and experience. Conclusion:For patients to feel safe and involved in the emergency department, it is crucial to be informed, seen, and acknowledged by healthcare staff.