Enhancing collaborative communication of nurse and physician leadership in two intensive care units.
OBJECTIVE
To test an intervention to enhance collaborative communication among nurse and physician leaders (eg, nurse manager, medical director, clinical nurse specialist) in two diverse intensive care units (ICUs).


BACKGROUND
Collaborative communication is associated with positive patient, nurse, and physician outcomes. However, to date, intervention-focused research that seeks to improve collaborative communication is lacking.


METHODS
A pretest-posttest repeated measures design incorporated baseline data collection, implementation of the intervention over 8 months, and immediate and 6-months-post data collection.


RESULTS
Communication skills of ICU nurse and physician leaders improved significantly. Leaders also reported increased satisfaction with their own communication and leadership skills. In addition, staff nurse and physician perceptions of nursing leadership and problem solving between groups increased. Staff nurses reported lower personal stress (eg, more respect from co-workers, physicians, and managers), even though they perceived significantly more situational stress (eg, less staffing and time).


CONCLUSIONS
Study findings provide evidence that nurse-physician collaborative communication can be improved.
Boyle
Diane K
DK
University of Kansas School of Nursing, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA. dboyle@kumc.edu
Kochinda
Chiemi
C
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D008486:Physician Executives / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation