Content and distribution of discursive space in consultations between patients with atrial fibrillation and healthcare professionals.

Aim: To describe (i) the topics participants talk about, (ii) the use of discursive space in consultations between patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and their nurses and physicians, and (iii) the frequencies of the ways the patients, nurses and physicians introduce the topics.

Methods: Data were collected from 23 videotaped consultations concerning patients with AF as well as physicians and nurses, respectively. To obtain a description of topics discussed, the transcripts were analysed using content analysis. The patterns of dominance for the respective topic and participant were explored from the framework of analysis that treats dominance.

Results: Four topics were used by both nurses and physicians in the consultations. These were 'pathophysiology', 'diagnostic procedures', 'treatment' and 'activity'. In the nurse-patient consultation an additional topic, 'routines related to the physician's responsibilities', emerged. With respect to the number of words and turns, the distribution of the discourse space was almost equal between the nurses and patients and unequal between the physicians and patients. The healthcare professionals initiated the topics more frequently compared to the patients, whereby the medical approach recommended in the guidelines for AF could be recognized. The patients were the dominating initiators in the topic 'activity', which refers to the adaptation of activities in daily life in relation to the AF.

Conclusions: The medical-driven agenda dominates over the patient-driven agenda in consultations between healthcare professional and patients with AF. The patients initiated the conversations when discussing living with AF and were more talkative during conversations in nurse consultations.