Senlan Zhang, Kaiyong Huang, Liuyi Chen, Yingming Liao, Huabin Su, Jinmeng Huang
Attitudes towards narrative medicine were significantly associated with the clinical narrative competence of nurses. It is suggested that the knowledge and skills related to narrative medicine and narrative nursing should be incorporated into the core competence development of nurses. Moreover, it is necessary to gradually introduce narrative nursing practice into clinical nursing. These measures may enhance nurses' clinical narrative competence and provide high-quality nursing services to patients.
BACKGROUND: Patient-centered care, which emphasizes clinical narrative competence of nurses, is receiving increasing attention. However, there is limited evidence indicating the level of clinical narrative competence of nurses. This study aimed to explore the current situation and associated factors of the clinical narrative competence of nurses in selected hospitals in Guangxi, China.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 316 nurses from seven affiliated hospitals of Guangxi Medical University and Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection through an online survey platform. T-tests and one-way ANOVA were utilized to determine significant differences for the variables. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to explore the significant variables associated with the clinical narrative competence of nurses.
RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that everal factors were significantly associated with clinical narrative competence (p < 0.003 for all), including: "the level of knowledge about narrative medicine"; "believing that it's necessary to understand the stories and feelings of patients or their families"; "believing that listening to patients' accounts helps medical staff understand patients more deeply, thereby prompting them to provide more personalized and humanized treatment to patients"; "willing to continue or plan to study narrative medicine"; and "believing that it's necessary to develop narrative medicine research and practice in clinical settings." Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that "believing that it is necessary to develop narrative medicine research and practice in clinical settings" (p = 0.002), "believing that listening to patients' accounts helps medical staff understand patients more deeply" (p = 0.009), and "the level of knowledge about narrative medicine" (p = 0.011) were significant associated factors of the clinical narrative competence of nurses.
CONCLUSION: Attitudes towards narrative medicine were significantly associated with the clinical narrative competence of nurses. It is suggested that the knowledge and skills related to narrative medicine and narrative nursing should be incorporated into the core competence development of nurses. Moreover, it is necessary to gradually introduce narrative nursing practice into clinical nursing. These measures may enhance nurses' clinical narrative competence and provide high-quality nursing services to patients.