Methods: An interpretive phenomenological approach guided the study. Following research ethics board approval, resource team nurses were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Eight registered nurses participated in in-depth individual interviews, which were audio-recorded with consent, and transcribed verbatim. van Manen's approach was used to analyze the data.
Results: Participants spoke about longing to build bridges between themselves and their patients yet frequently experienced difficulties in overcoming language barriers The overarching theme of a dialectical experience in the pursuit to understanding emerged from the data, which captured four themes: (a) Trying to Span the Distance, (b) Everything Comes Down to Time, (c) Desiring a Shared Meaning, and (d) Experiencing Disequilibrium. Findings highlight the following: (a) systemic inadequacies that nurses encounter when trying to facilitate shared meaning with their patient(s), (b) challenges and concerns of resource team nurses, and (c) the nursing job structure.
Conclusion: This study provides insights into resource team nurses’ experience with language barriers. Findings are important to addressing and ensuring cultural and equitable practices in the delivery of safe and quality patient care. Addressing linguistic diversity in caregiving should be a primary concern in nursing practice and research.