Verbal communication of the parturient nurse’s dyad in the active phase of labor

ABSTRACT Objectives: to analyze verbal communication between the nurse and the parturient during the active phase of labor in two Lusophone countries. Methods: quantitative analytical study. Sample of 709 interactions between nurses and parturients using verbal communication during the active phase of labor in Brazil and Cape Verde. The following variables were analyzed: companion, conative vocative, conative imperative, emotive/expressive and referential/context functions, contact/channel and code. Results: the absence of interaction predominated in most of the variables analyzed during the active phase of labor in both countries. In Cape Verde all interactions occurred during the absence of the companion. Conclusions: considering the social and cultural aspects of each country, nurses need to develop skills to communicate verbally with the parturient, offering a better interaction during the parturition process.