Nurses' Perceptions of Physicians' Communication: The Relationship Among Communication Practices, Satisfaction, and Collaboration

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among nurses' perceptions of physician communication practices, nurse-physician collaboration, and nurses' job satisfaction. Two hundred five nurses employed at a pediatric hospital completed surveys on site that examined perceptions of nurse-physician and physician-patient communication, job satisfaction, and nurse-physician collaboration. Nurse reports of physicians who listened effectively and used clear, humorous, immediate, and empathic messages were strongly related to nurses' satisfaction in several contexts. Physicians' use of empathic messages emerged as a significant predictor of nurses' satisfaction with communication, relationships, and collaborative medical practices. Physician humor and clarity were significant predictors of nurses' job satisfaction. There was a significant positive correlation between nurses' perceptions of physicians' use of nurse-centered communication practices and patient-centered communication practices.

Conflicts in Learning to Care for Critically Ill Newborns: “It Makes Me Question My Own Morals”

“…In fact, the lack of time to foster meaningful relationships may contribute to the physician-nurse tension highlighted in the narratives (Rushton et al 2013). Physician-nurse communication is further complicated by issues of professional identity, power, and institutional culture (Wanzer, Wojtaszczyk, and Kelly 2009) and may be even more complex when the physician is a trainee. Collaborative practice training may help physicians and nurses build cross-discipline team identities (Bartunek 2011), diminishing differences, establishing support mechanisms, and improving patient care.…”

The Development of Professional Identity and the Formation of Teams in the Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System’s Center of Excellence in Primary Care Education Program (CoEPCE)

“…Historically, interactions between physicians and RNs have been fraught with tension. 12,13 Research indicates that physicians are perceived to be at the top of the health professions hierarchy. 12 At times, physicians have maintained a patriarchal or dominant position, whereas those in the nursing profession have been viewed as occupying a less prestigious, or even subservient, role.…”

“…12,13 Research indicates that physicians are perceived to be at the top of the health professions hierarchy. 12 At times, physicians have maintained a patriarchal or dominant position, whereas those in the nursing profession have been viewed as occupying a less prestigious, or even subservient, role. 14,15 Even research focused exclusively on nurse practitioner (NP)-physician relationships shows that some physicians believe they provide higher-quality clinical examinations and consultations during primary care visits than do NPs.…”

Application and Student Perceptions of the PEEER© Model for Effective Healthcare Team Communications

“…Accomplishing these goals may be particularly challenging when IP healthcare teams are composed of professionals with little prior experience working with team members from different disciplines (Barr, Hammick, Koppel & Reeves, 1999), as is often the case. Functioning effectively within an IP healthcare team may require individuals to develop skills beyond their traditional specialty training and education (Nembhard & Edmondson, 2006;Wanzer, Wojtaszczyk & Kelly, 2009). Effective communication among these IP team members is critical to the realization of team goals for safe, high-quality patient care.…”

“…To address this and improve our educational process we identified existing models for communication among healthcare professionals (Apker, Propp, Zabava Ford, & Hofmeister, 2006;Boaro, Fancott, Baker, Velji & Andreoli, 2010;Ellingson, 2003;Wanzer et al, 2009), yet found little guidance for models of communication among IP healthcare teams which included patients as team members. Given the increasing emphasis on patient-centered care in many aspects of health care delivery, we believe that IPE should specifically address the inclusion of patients as part of the IP team.…”