Practical Details of Effective Online-specific Health Guidance by Public Health Nurses

Focusing on the Initial Motivation Support Interview

Abstract

Objective: This study identified the practical details of effective online-specific health guidance provided by public health nurses and extracted basic data from the results for developing practical guidelines.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 public health nurses who had given an online initial motivation support interview at least 10 times. The results were analyzed following Krippendorff’s content analysis method.

Results: A total of 10 categories were extracted: “Communicate more carefully and meticulously than face-to-face interviews to obtain information about facial expressions, voice tones, and ges-tures, which are restricted through the screen, and also to reduce the psychological distance”; “To correctly convey the size of food and body movements through a web camera, adjust and devise the position of the camera and media used”; “Have the patient join the online interview in an environment which allows them to focus on the interview without being interrupted by unrelated matters”; “Take advantage of screen share function, such as the concentration of consciousness on the display screen and visualization of statements”; and “To consider concrete and feasible behavior modification, take advantage of being online in an everyday environment at home or in the workplace”.

Discussion: To build supportive relationships, public health nurses are trying to overcome communication barriers attributed to non-face-to-face conditions, resolve factors related to being online which inhibit health guidance, and effectively use the advantages of being online. In developing practical guidelines, each institution’s particularity and devices should also be considered.