Physicians' and nurses' attitudes regarding interprofessional collaboration in Cyprus

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing and Medical Education
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between nurses and physicians positively impacts patient outcomes, job satisfaction, and healthcare quality.
• Understanding attitudes towards IPC is essential for improving healthcare team dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine and compare the attitudes of physicians and nurses toward interprofessional collaboration (IPC).
• To assess IPC attitudes in both public and private hospital settings in Cyprus.

Main Methods:

• A convenience sample of 573 healthcare professionals (79 physicians, 494 nurses) completed the Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Nurse-Physician Collaboration questionnaire.
• Statistical analysis was used to compare attitude scores between nurses and physicians across different subscales.

Main Results:

• Nurses reported significantly more positive attitudes toward IPC than physicians (mean scores 53.4 vs. 49.7, p < .001).
• Nurses showed higher positive attitudes in 'Care vs. Treatment' and 'Physician Dominance' subscales.
• Physicians scored higher on the 'Nurses' Autonomy' subscale.

Conclusions:

• While both groups hold positive attitudes, nurses are more favorable towards IPC.
• Integrating IPC-focused education into training programs for both nurses and physicians is recommended to foster collaboration.
• Improved IPC is expected to enhance healthcare quality and patient outcomes.