J. Starc
Fakulteta za zdravstvene vede Novo mesto, Novo mesto, Slovenija

Abstract

Background: Peer coaching is one of the most powerful tools for communication between healthcare workers. When applied effectively and correctly, taking into account all of the principles of peer coaching (awareness, responsibility, self-confidence, absence of accusations, solution-orientation, challenge, action), it raises healthcare workers’ awareness and influences their thoughts, thus channelling them to make positive shifts towards good quality communication and problem solving. This tool improves the direct and indirect bonds between healthcare workers, which enable them to carry out their work at an improved level and with better quality, ultimately leading to new solutions in the performance of their work tasks. Materials and methods: The data was collected using an anonymous online questionnaire. The survey involved 160 graduate nurses who work in primary and secondary care. We applied the descriptive non-experimental empirical research method. Results: It was established that the respondents rated as the most important principles of peer coaching, which were designed to ensure good quality communication with colleagues within their work setting, responsibility= 4.8), solution-orientation= 4.6), awareness= 4.5) and self-confidence= 4.5). Conclusions: Most of the respondents acknowledge that all healthcare workers should act in accordance with the principles of peer coaching in order to establish such conditions that are conducive to good quality communication among them and, consequently, to holistic and high quality patient management.

Key words: peer coaching, the principles of peer coaching, communication, healthcare workers.