Non-verbal nurse-parturient communication in labor in Portuguese-speaking countries

• Main Authors: Gilmara de Lucena Beserra (Author), Paula Marciana Pinheiro de Oliveira (Author), Lorita Marlena Freitag Pagliuca (Author), Paulo César de Almeida (Author), Saiwori de Jesus Silva Bezerra dos Anjos (Author), Ana Karina Bezerra Pinheiro (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1518-8345; 10.1590/1518-8345.3032.3193
• Keywords: Comunicación no Verbal; Enfermería Obstétrica; Trabajo de Parto; Salud de la Mujer; Parto Normal; Atención de Enfermería; Nursing; RT1-120
• Source: Revista Latino-Americana de Enfermagem, Vol 27

Objective: to analyze nonverbal communication between nurse and parturient during the active phase of labor in two Portuguese-speaking countries. Method: a quantitative and analytical study, whose sample consisted of 709 interactions that used the nonverbal communication of nurses and parturients. The analyzed variables were: distance; posture; axis; contact; emblematic gestures; illustrator gestures and regulatory gestures. For the analysis of the data, the Chi-Square and Likelihood Ratio tests were used. Results: the intimate distance between nurse and parturient in both countries (p = 0.005) prevailed. In both, touch was the most commonly used form of contact (p <0.0001). In both countries, the parturient remained lying down (p <0.0001). In relation to the established contact (p <0.0001), the parturient did not use contact. The face-to-face axis predominated in the interactions in both countries between nurse-parturient (p <0.0001) and parturient-nurse (p <0.0001). Conclusion: similarities were observed in non-verbal communication between nurses and parturients in both countries. However, there are differences such as the established contact between Brazilian and Cape Verdean nurses to parturients.