The interview
guide was based on issues pertaining to
nurse–patient interaction derived from the literature. These included: perceptions of both
the quantity and quality of the time spent interacting,
factors likely to hinder interaction and
factors likely to facilitate interaction. All interviews
were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim.
The analysis of the interview transcripts was
guided by the thematic content analysis method
as described by Burn a rd (1991). A nursing
academic, not involved in the study, reviewed
both the data and themes and confirmed that
these themes reflected the content of the interviews.