What do surgical nurses know about surgical residents?

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Nursing
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Collaborative relationships between residents and nurses are crucial for effective patient care.
• A foundational understanding of each group's attributes is essential for successful collaboration.
• This study investigates surgical nurses' perceptions and knowledge of surgical residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the extent of surgical nurses' knowledge about surgical residents.
• To identify specific areas of misperception among nurses regarding residents' roles, responsibilities, and training.

Main Methods:

• A survey tool was administered to surgical nurses and surgical residents at a university teaching hospital.
• Data were collected from 124 nurses across various surgical units and 24 surgical residents.
• Responses were compared to identify knowledge gaps and misperceptions.

Main Results:

• Nurses showed limited accuracy in identifying the length of surgical residency and understanding resident work hours and compensation.
• Significant misperceptions were noted regarding residents' legal status as physicians, licensing, and the necessity of attending supervision for procedures.
• While most nurses recognized the medical doctorate as the entry degree, understanding of residency specifics was notably low.

Conclusions:

• Surgical nurses possess a limited understanding of surgical residents' education, roles, and responsibilities.
• Targeted educational initiatives for nurses on these aspects could enhance interprofessional collaboration.
• Improved understanding may lead to better teamwork and ultimately improve the quality of surgical patient care.