Communication experiences of expatriate midwives providing maternity care in a military hospital in Saudi Arabia

Date
2018-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Background In Saudi Arabia, maternity care is provided by expatriate midwives. The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. The labour ward communication amongst expatriate midwives and Saudi patients was unique as the first language of expatriate midwives is not Arabic. The limited research focuses on the expatriate nurses’ communication experiences in Saudi Arabia. The aim of the study was to explore and describe the communication and the communication experiences of expatriate midwives while caring for pregnant woman in the labour and delivery ward of a military hospital in Saudi Arabia. Methods A qualitative descriptive methodology was used to explore the views of expatriate midwives regarding effective communication with patients in the labour and delivery ward. The study applied purposive sampling to select participants from the labour and delivery ward of a military hospital in Saudi Arabia. The Health Research and Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University and the Research and Ethics Department of the hospital granted permission to conduct the study. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed using Creswell’s framework. Four themes emerged from the data. Results The themes that emerged were: communication methods, communication challenges, communication rationale and communication solutions. Participants expressed their unique communication styles, even though they were not fluent speaking the Arabic language. They stressed the importance of communication in a maternity setting as they provide care for the Saudi nationals and their unborn babies. Conclusion Communication is an integral component of providing quality maternity care in the labour and delivery ward. With the assistance of higher management of the hospital, support systems can be in place to bridge the communication gaps between expatriate midwives and the pregnant woman.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond In Saoedi-Arabië word kraamverpleging deur geëkspatrieerde vroedvroue verskaf. Die amptelike taal van Saoedi-Arabië is Arabies. Die kraamsaal-kommunikasie tussen geëkspatrieerde vroedvroue en Saoedi-pasiënte was uniek omdat die geëkspatrieerde vroedvroue se eerste taal nie Arabies was nie. Beperkte navorsing het gefokus op die geëkspatrieerde vroedvroue se siening oor kommunikasie in Saoedi-Arabië. Die doel van die studie was om die rol van kommunikasie en kommunikasie ervarings tussen pasiënte en geëkspatrieerde vroedvroue wat in die kraamafdeling van 'n militêre hospitaal in Saoedi-Arabië gewerk het, te ondersoek en te beskryf. Metode vroedvroue te ondersoek rakende effektiewe kommunikasie met pasiënte in die kraamafdeling. Die studie het doelgerigte steekproefneming toegepas om deelnemers uit die kraamafdeling van 'n militêre hospitaal in Saoedi-Arabië te kies. Die Gesondheidsnavorsings- en Etiekkomitee van die Universiteit Stellenbosch en die Navorsings- en Etieksentrum van die hospitaal het toestemming verleen om die studie te doen. Sewe semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is uitgevoer, getranskribeer en geanaliseer met behulp van Creswell se raamwerk. Vier temas het uit die data ontstaan. Resultate Die temas wat na vore gekom het, was: kommunikasiemetodes, kommunikasie-uitdagings, kommunikasie-rasionale en kommunikasie-oplossings. Deelnemers het hul unieke kommunikasiestyle bespreek, alhoewel hulle nie die Arabiese taal vlot kon praat nie. Hulle beklemtoon die belangrikheid van kommunikasie in 'n kraamomgewing, aangesien hulle nie alleen vir die Saoedi-vroue sorg nie, maar ook vir hul ongebore babas. Slotsom Kommunikasie is 'n integrale komponent in die voorsiening van gehalte kraamsorg. Met die hulp van die hospitaal se topbestuur kan ondersteuningstelsels in plek gestel word om die kommunikasie-uitdagings tussen geëkspatrieerde vroedvroue en die Saoedi-pasiënte te oorbrug.
Description
Thesis (MCur)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.
Keywords
Expatriate midwives -- Saudi Arabia, UCTD, Communications in nursing, Midwives -- Saudi Arabia -- Foreign language competency, Saudi Arabia -- Officials and employees -- Communication, Nurses -- Supply and demand -- Saudi Arabia, Nurses, Foreign -- Saudi Arabia
Citation