An integrative review of the use of the concept of reassurance in clinical practice

Akyirem, Samuel; Salifu, Yakubu; Bayuo, Jonathan; Duodu, Precious Adade; Bossman, Irene Fosuhemaa; Abboah‐Offei, Mary

doi:10.1002/nop2.1102

An integrative review of the use of the concept of reassurance in clinical practice

Akyirem, Samuel; Salifu, Yakubu; Bayuo, Jonathan; Duodu, Precious Adade; Bossman, Irene Fosuhemaa; Abboah‐Offei, Mary

Authors

Samuel Akyirem

Yakubu Salifu

Jonathan Bayuo

Precious Adade Duodu

Irene Fosuhemaa Bossman

Dr Mary Abboah-Offei M.Abboah-Offei@napier.ac.uk
Lecturer

Abstract

Aim
To synthesize evidence on the concept of reassurance in nursing practice.

Design
Integrative review.

Review Method
PubMed, OVID MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched from their inception to the 30 May 2020. The search results were screened. We assessed the quality of primary studies using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Included studies were analysed using narrative synthesis. The review protocol was pre-registered (PROSPERO-CRD42020186962).

Results
Thirty-two papers out of the 2,771 search results met our inclusion criteria. The synthesis of evidence generated three intricate themes, namely “antecedents of reassurance,” “defining attributes of reassurance” and “outcomes of reassurance.” Emotional distress was the main antecedent of reassurance. The three sub-themes identified under defining attributes of reassurance include self-awareness, emotional connectedness and verbal and non-verbal techniques. Ultimately, reposing the confidence of patients and their families in healthcare professionals and the care delivery process to enable them to overcome their challenges constitutes the outcomes of reassurance.

Citation

Akyirem, S., Salifu, Y., Bayuo, J., Duodu, P. A., Bossman, I. F., & Abboah‐Offei, M. (2022). An integrative review of the use of the concept of reassurance in clinical practice. Nursing Open, 9(3), 1515-1535. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1102

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Oct 14, 2021
Online Publication Date	Mar 11, 2022
Publication Date	2022-05
Deposit Date	Oct 14, 2022
Publicly Available Date	Oct 14, 2022
Journal	Nursing Open
Print ISSN	2054-1058
Electronic ISSN	2054-1058
Publisher	Wiley
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	9
Issue	3
Pages	1515-1535
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1102
Keywords	compassion, conceptual framework, emotional care, integrative review, nursing practice, reassurance, therapeutic relationship
Public URL	http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2927269