Hospitalk: an exploratory study to assess what is said and what is heard between physicians and nurses

Collaboration and effective communication between healthcare professionals has been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes and job satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to examine physician and nurse communication in a hospital setting during a time of very rapid change.

Full-time attending internal medicine physicians (n = 5), registered nurses (n = 18), and medical residents (n = 12) working on two adult medical units in a 325-bed tertiary-care hospital in the mid-Atlantic region from fall 1996 to summer 1997.

Descriptive survey and interview.

Each subject completed a written questionnaire, Physician-Nurse Communication Scale, and a structured interview with a trained social linguistics team.

Physicians and nurses shared similar perceptions regarding their roles in communication processes, such as giving orders, asking for information, and asking for and giving opinions. They differed significantly in the perceptions of the physician and nurse roles in giving information, orienting, and providing education. Generally, physicians perceived that nurses initiated certain types of communication significantly less often than did nurses. Both groups expressed an interest in more interaction; nurses particularly expressed the need to be "listened to" or respected more. Nurses were significantly more likely to express the need to change interactions with house staff than with attending physicians (P = .02).

Interactions between physicians and nurses are perceived differently by the two groups, leading to misunderstanding of motive and meaning. Recommendations are made to improve communication between these two professional groups.