Navigating Language Barriers in Nursing Care: Strategies and Challenges with Adult Immigrant Patients : A Descriptive Literature Review
Bruzzo Mata, Sarah; Jigi, Kebene (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202601171441
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202601171441
Tiivistelmä
Language barriers complicate communication and interactions between nurses and adult immigrant patients; this can affect the quality of care and reduce patient safety. Addressing these barriers require effective strategies from healthcare professionals. The purpose of this study was to describe nurses’ navigation of language barriers when providing care. The aim of this study was to produce insights into nurses’ approaches to navigating language barriers and the challenges nurses encountered when providing care for adult immigrant patients, which can inform nursing practice and guide healthcare professionals in improving patient-centred care.
This qualitative study was a descriptive literature review. Data were collected by systematically searching in trusted databases, including CINAHL and PubMed to find relevant, peer-reviewed articles. Regarding the articles included in this study, the quality of the journals they were published in was assessed by using the JUFO classification system. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed using the CASP checklist, which ensured that each study had clear aims, an appropriate design and transparent analysis. An inductive content analysis method was used to analyse the data to let recurrent patterns and categories emerge.
The results revealed that nurses employed various strategies to navigate language barriers: through personal communication adaptations, usage of tools and technology, and also workplace and external support. Nurses also faced challenges when applying these strategies from structural and organizational barriers, technological and logistical constraints and human and interactional challenges.
These findings emphasize that successful communication needs adaptation on the part of the individual and support from the organizations. Access to professional interpreters, culturally responsive training, and education in language and cultural competence need to be implemented in order to improve nursing practice and patient-centred care.
Keywords: language barriers, nurses’ strategies, communication, patient safety and culturally competent care
This qualitative study was a descriptive literature review. Data were collected by systematically searching in trusted databases, including CINAHL and PubMed to find relevant, peer-reviewed articles. Regarding the articles included in this study, the quality of the journals they were published in was assessed by using the JUFO classification system. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed using the CASP checklist, which ensured that each study had clear aims, an appropriate design and transparent analysis. An inductive content analysis method was used to analyse the data to let recurrent patterns and categories emerge.
The results revealed that nurses employed various strategies to navigate language barriers: through personal communication adaptations, usage of tools and technology, and also workplace and external support. Nurses also faced challenges when applying these strategies from structural and organizational barriers, technological and logistical constraints and human and interactional challenges.
These findings emphasize that successful communication needs adaptation on the part of the individual and support from the organizations. Access to professional interpreters, culturally responsive training, and education in language and cultural competence need to be implemented in order to improve nursing practice and patient-centred care.
Keywords: language barriers, nurses’ strategies, communication, patient safety and culturally competent care