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Relational Quality Between the RN and Nursing Assistant: Essential for Teamwork and Communication
Amy Richmond Campbell1, Susan Kennerly, Melvin Swanson
1Author Affiliations: Associate Clinical Professor (Dr Campbell), Professor (Dr Kennerly), Associate Clinical Professor (Dr Swanson), and Associate Professor (Dr Forbes), East Carolina University; Vice President of Quality (Dr Anderson), Vidant Medical Center; and Professor (Dr Scott), East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
Improving the relationship between registered nurses (RNs) and nursing assistants (NAs) is crucial for enhancing teamwork and communication. Better RN-NA collaboration positively impacts patient care delivery and safety outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Science
- Healthcare Management
- Patient Safety Research
Background:
- Registered nurse (RN) and nursing assistant (NA) teams are fundamental to nursing care delivery.
- The quality of RN-NA relationships influences healthcare system capacity for improving patient outcomes.
- Breakdowns in communication and teamwork are associated with adverse events in healthcare settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relational quality between registered nurses (RNs) and nursing assistants (NAs).
- To investigate the associations between RN-NA relational quality and perceptions of teamwork and communication.
- To identify strategies for optimizing patient care delivery through improved nurse-assistant relationships.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture.
- Involved 889 registered nurses (RNs) and 263 nursing assistants (NAs).
- Assessed perceived relational quality between RNs and NAs.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were found in teamwork and safety grade ratings based on perceived RN-NA relational quality.
- Both RNs and NAs reported high perceived teamwork when the patient safety grade was low.
- RN-NA relational quality is a key factor influencing teamwork perceptions and patient safety ratings.
Conclusions:
- Improving the teamwork and communication relationship between RNs and NAs yields significant benefits.
- Enhanced RN-NA relational quality can be leveraged by nurse leaders to optimize patient care delivery.
- Strengthening the RN-NA dyad is essential for improving overall patient outcomes and safety.
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