Physician-Nurse and Nurse-Nurse Collaboration From the Perspective of Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study

Applying ordered network analysis to video-recorded physician-nurse interactions to examine communication patterns associated with shared understanding in inpatient oncology care settings

OBJECTIVES

The main aim of this study was to demonstrate how ordered network analysis of video-recorded interactions combined with verbal response mode (VRM) coding (eg, edification, disclosure, reflection and interpretation) can uncover specific communication patterns that contribute to the development of shared understanding between physicians and nurses. The major hypothesis was that dyads that reached shared understanding would exhibit different sequential relationships between VRM codes compared with dyads that did not reach shared understanding.

DESIGN

Observational study design with the secondary analysis of video-recorded interactions.

SETTING

The study was conducted on two oncology units at a large Midwestern academic health care system in the USA.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 33 unique physician-nurse dyadic interactions were included in the analysis. Participants were the physicians and nurses involved in these interactions during patient care rounds.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measure was the development of shared understanding between physicians and nurses, as determined by prior qualitative analysis. Secondary measures included the frequencies, orders and co-occurrences of VRM codes in the interactions.

RESULTS

A Mann-Whitney U test showed that dyads that reached shared understanding (N=6) were statistically significantly different (U=148, p=0.00, r=0.93) from dyads that did not reach shared understanding (N=25) in terms of the sequential relationships between edification and disclosure, edification and advisement, as well as edification and questioning. Dyads that reached shared understanding engaged in more edification followed by disclosure, suggesting the importance of this communication pattern for reaching shared understanding.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel methodology demonstrates a robust approach to inform interventions that enhance physician-nurse communication. Further research could explore applying this approach in other healthcare settings and contexts.

Nurse-to-Nurse Collaboration: A Scoping Review

OBJECTIVE

To map predictors and outcome of collaboration between nurses, outcomes of a good collaboration, and the tools developed to evaluate nurse-nurse collaboration.

BACKGROUND

Collaboration between nurses is an intraprofessional relationship between coworkers that is expressed through shared objectives, authority, and a decisional process. Studies on collaboration between nurses are very limited.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted through 4 databases.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies were included. Nurses with higher levels of collaboration are more satisfied with their work and report less of an intention to leave their job. Greater collaboration among nurses resulted in a decrease of patient falling, hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, and a better care. Three tools have been developed to evaluate nurse-nurse collaboration: the Nurse-Nurse Collaboration Scale, the Nurse-Nurse Collaboration Behavior Scale, and the Nurse-Nurse Collaboration Between Sector.

CONCLUSIONS

Further studies should be conducted to fully understand the issue of collaboration between nurses and the factors connected to it.

The relationship between nurse-nurse collaboration and work readiness among new graduate nurses

BACKGROUND

Communication and collaboration with colleagues are crucial for new graduate nurses (NGNs) because of the adaptation to both the healthcare system and professional role. Therefore, working units with effective collaboration among nurses may increase new graduates' work readiness.

AIM

This study aimed to determine the relationship between the perceptions of nurse-nurse collaboration and the work readiness level among NGNs.

METHODOLOGY

This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out with 198 NGNs in four private hospitals affiliated with a university. A self-administered questionnaire, including a personal information form, the Nurse-Nurse Collaboration Scale, and Work Readiness Scale, was used to collect data. Data analysis was performed using descriptive tests, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficients.

RESULTS

NGNs had moderate perceptions of nurse-nurse collaboration, with a median score of 2.46 (2.23-2.88) out of 4. Work readiness among NGNs was moderate, with a median score of 304 (270-332) out of 460. There was a statistically significant correlation between nurse-nurse collaboration and work readiness (r_s  = 0.26; p < .001).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study demonstrated that improving nurse-nurse collaboration is an effective way to increase work readiness among NGNs.