Telephone advice nursing — callers' experiences

Abstract

We studied telephone callers' experiences of contacting a medical call centre. A questionnaire was administered to 203 persons. It was completed by 144 (71%), of whom 81 (56%) chose to comment on their experience in the space provided. The comments were analysed using a qualitative method and were categorized as relating to either the practical or the emotional aspects of the call. Sixty-nine per cent of comments described a satisfactory experience. The unsatisfactory comments mostly concerned access problems. The callers emphasized the importance of receiving appropriate advice and being treated in a kindly manner. In addition, there were dimensions of security and insecurity in nearly all the categories. The findings highlight the telephone nurses' communication skills and their ability to deal with callers as individuals, to make them feel more secure. The selection, education and training of telephone nurses should place more emphasis on their supportive and communicative roles.