title: Graduate nurses' communication with health professionals when managing patients' medications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to examine how graduate nurses communicated with other health professionals about their medication management activities in the acute care context. The objectives were to determine the types of information communicated about patients' medications and the communication processes used during interactions with other nurses, doctors and pharmacists.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Graduate nurses are challenged with enormous responsibilities and their competence is constantly tested in an ever-changing arena. One of their responsibilities involves communicating with other health professionals about patients' medications.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative exploratory research design was used for this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participant observation and semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit information from 12 graduate nurses with university degrees employed in a metropolitan public hospital, in Melbourne, Australia. Graduate nurses were observed once for two hours and interviewed on the same day of the observation at a mutually convenient time. The purpose of these interviews was to clarify activities observed and to obtain further information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results highlighted how work dynamics of the clinical setting had an impact on the ability of graduate nurses to communicate effectively with other nurses, doctors and pharmacists. These work dynamics included the availability of doctors and the structure of ward rounds. The results also demonstrated the value graduate nurses placed on communicating particular information such as evaluating the effect of medication changes and organizing discharge medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Graduate nurses were effective in communicating about medication management activities when they initiated or were prepared for such interactions. When graduate nurses were not prepared, such as during impromptu ward rounds, they did not participate effectively and important information was not communicated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to understand how collegial communication facilitates accurate exchange of information and effective decision-making to achieve optimal health care outcomes for patients.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, School of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, 723 Swanston Street Level 1, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia. emanias@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manias
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aitken
authors.forename: Trisha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dunning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000451:nursing* / Q000592:standards; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education; D036301:Qualitative Research