Enhancing nurse-physician collaboration using pediatric simulation

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of nurse-physician collaboration during simulation training.

A human patient simulator (HPS) of three mock codes with life-threatening scenarios in children, an understudied population, was used. A set of standardized measures and observational techniques were used to determine levels of nurse-physician collaboration and interaction on multiple dimensions found to improve patient outcomes.

High levels of group cohesion (GC) and collaboration and satisfaction with patient care decisions (CSPCD) were identified among both physicians and nurses. The male respondents, regardless of discipline, had significantly higher GC scores (p = .029) and significantly higher CSPCD scores (p = .005) than the female respondents. Although the nurses and physicians self-reported good collaboration following the scenarios, analysis of the videotapes revealed that collaboration improved over time.

The results of this study hold promise for this critical area of science that seeks to improve the outcomes of patients who experience life-threatening events.