Excellence through evidence: securing collegial/collaborative nurse-physician relationships, part 2

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Medical Collaboration

Background:

• Nurse-physician (RNMD) relationships vary in hospitals, with collegial and collaborative (C/C) types linked to better patient outcomes.
• Existing research highlights the positive impact of C/C RNMD relationships on patient care quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify organizational structures that foster collegial and collaborative nurse-physician (RNMD) relationships.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for management practices that enhance RNMD collaboration.

Main Methods:

• A multisite, evidence-based management practice initiative was conducted.
• Included literature analysis, expert interviews, and examination of clinical units across five hospitals.
• Assessed the presence of established collaboration structures and expert-identified enabling structures.

Main Results:

• Identified specific structures that facilitate collegial and collaborative nurse-physician (RNMD) relationships.
• Found variations in the presence of National Joint Practice Commission-identified structures across participating hospitals.
• Expert insights provided additional context on enabling structures for effective RNMD collaboration.

Conclusions:

• Specific organizational structures are crucial for enabling positive nurse-physician (RNMD) relationships.
• Management practices can be adapted to foster collaborative environments, thereby improving patient outcomes.
• Further research and implementation of identified structures are recommended for enhancing healthcare team dynamics.