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. 2025 Dec;20(1):2478687.
doi: 10.1080/17482631.2025.2478687. Epub 2025 Mar 17.

Primary healthcare nurses' experiences of symptoms and treatment needs of patients with RLS-associated symptoms at telephone nursing - an abductive analysis based on the Four Habits communication model

Alexandra Säwén  1   2 , Elzana Odzakovic  1 , Martin Ulander  2   3 , Jonas Lind  3   4 , Anders Broström  1   2   5
Affiliations

Primary healthcare nurses' experiences of symptoms and treatment needs of patients with RLS-associated symptoms at telephone nursing - an abductive analysis based on the Four Habits communication model

Alexandra Säwén et al. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2025 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common, neurological disease. Primary healthcare (PHC) nurses are often the patient's first contact, but studies regarding their experience assessing RLS-associated symptoms and treatment needs in telephone nursing (TN) are lacking.

Purpose: To describe how PHC nurses experience symptoms and treatment needs of patients with RLS-associated symptoms during TN.

Methods: A descriptive abductive design, including semi-structured interviews with 18 PHC nurses from six Swedish regions. Data was deductively analyzed using the Four Habits communication model. Facilitators and barriers were inductively identified.

Results: Invest in the beginning included the use of professional competence, interpretation of influencing factors at the start of the conversation and initial understanding of the patient's RLS symptoms. Elicit the patient's perspective involved originate from the patient's perception of the symptoms and comprehending the symptoms' impact on the patient's life situation. Relate to the patient's situation and the importance of trust in the patient meeting described demonstrating empathy. Invest in the end involved triaging patients with RLS-associated symptoms, providing self-care advice to patients with RLS-associated symptoms and achieving consensus at the end of the conversation.

Conclusion: Using the Four Habits communication model could enrich communication regarding RLS-associated symptoms and treatment needs during TN.

Keywords: Augmentation; Four Habits communication model; communication; nurses; primary care nursing; restless legs syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Experiences from the nurses (N = 18) describing Habit 1 (i.e., Invest in the beginning) in the Four Habits communication model.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Experiences from the nurses (N = 18) describing Habit 2 (i.e., Elicit the patient’s perspective) in the Four Habits communication model.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Experiences from the nurses (N = 18) describing Habit 3 (i.e., Demonstrate empathy) in the Four Habits communication model.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Experiences from the nurses (N = 18) describing Habit 4 (i.e., Invest in the end) in the Four Habits communication model.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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