Nurses’ Experiences in Communicating With Immigrant Populations During COVID-19: Insights and Suggestions for Future Health Crises

• Published in: Journal of transcultural nursing 2024-11, Vol.35 (6), p.455-464
• Main Authors: Mahic, Seila, Nortvedt, Line, Alpers, Lise-Merete
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Communication; COVID-19; COVID-19 - ethnology; COVID-19 - nursing; Cultural Competency - psychology; Emigrants and Immigrants - psychology; Emigrants and Immigrants - statistics & numerical data; Female; Health literacy; Humans; Immigrants; Language proficiency; Male; Middle Aged; Norway; Nurse patient relationships; Nurses; Nurses - psychology; Nursing care; Pandemics; Qualitative Research; SARS-CoV-2
• ISSN: 1043-6596; 1552-7832; 1552-7832
• DOI: 10.1177/10436596241268445

Introduction: When providing health information in a diverse society and during health crises, it is crucial that nurses can adapt their communication to immigrants, as this may have an impact on their health outcomes. This study seeks to identify how nurses experienced and assessed their communication and information work with immigrants during COVID-19 and to discuss measures to improve practice. Method: The study has an interpretive and explorative qualitative design, analyzing 10 semi-structured interviews with nurses from the municipal health service in Norway. Results: Three themes were created as follows: multilingual infection control teams and cooperation with volunteers, challenges when providing COVID-19 information, and the nurses’ suggestions for improvements in the event of a new pandemic or other health crisis. Discussion: Nurses’ cultural competence and their knowledge of immigrants’ health literacy can help them understand how immigrants think and behave during illness. It is important that nurses use discretion during health crises.