Table 3 Communication behaviours analyzed, rationale, and definition
Derived from course description | Product of analysis of calls | |
|---|---|---|
Behavior | Rationale | Brief definition for positive evaluation |
Greeting | decreases uncertainty at the outset of the call and defines the operator’s role | the number of the centre (113), the operator’s name, and (if applicable) that they are a nurse |
Open-ended questions | gives callers maximum autonomy, accountability, and opportunity to describe what is within their epistemic domain (i.e., their situation) | request for information that requires a substantive answer from the caller (i.e., more than yes, no, or choice from a closed list of options) |
Acknowledging the caller | signals that the caller’s actions reflect fulfilled moral or ethical responsibility | statements that thank or compliment the caller’s contributions and actions |
Expressing empathy | bridges emotional distance, allowing the caller to feel the operator’s compassion | expressions or utterances that share, match, or directly address the caller’s observable positive or negative state |
Agreeing with the caller (avoiding disagreements) | offers callers the sense that the operator has confidence in their ability to observe and evaluate the situation | the lack of a negative response to caller’s opinions/evaluations that would normally be within the operator’s epistemic domain |