Lay summary
Poor communication is a major factor in health care errors. High quality empathetic communication from healthcare professionals is a key component of patient safety and positive health outcomes. The main vehicle for fostering empathetic communication is through interactions between patients and nurses; the largest health workforce in Aotearoa. The proposed activation activities are to create a research network comprising: 1) Māori Rōpū; 2) Pacific Group; and 3) Research Governance Group, which will comprise of international experts, health professionals from three DHBs and key stakeholders. To achieve this, we will engage with mana whenua in a Treaty-based partnership arrangement. These activities will enable us to create research groups to inform the development of empirical research that is in keeping with rangatiratanga and tikanga (best practice). This project will inform the strategic direction and design of a clinical research study to examine empathetic communication interventions to improve patient safety in healthcare settings.