title: Nurse-physician collaboration and associations with perceived autonomy in Cypriot critical care nurses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonomy of nurses has been proposed as a barrier to collaboration. This study aims to explore nurse-physician collaboration and potential associations with nurses' autonomy and pertinent nurses' characteristics in adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Cyprus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive correlational study with sampling of the entire adult ICU nurses' population in Cyprus (five ICUs in four public hospitals, n = 163, response rate 88·58%). Nurse-physician collaboration was assessed by the Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions Scale (CSACD), and autonomy by the Varjus et al. scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average CSACD score was 36·36 ± 13·30 (range: 7-70), implying low levels of collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions. Male participants reported significantly lower CSACD scores (t = 2·056, p = 0·04). CSACD correlated positively with years of ICU nursing experience (r = 0·332, p < 0·0001) and professional satisfaction (r = 0·455, p < 0·0001). The mean autonomy score was 76·15 ± 16·84 (range: 18-108). Higher degree of perceived collaboration (CSACD scores) associated with higher autonomy scores (r = 0·508, p <0·0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings imply low levels of nurse-physician collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions and moderate levels of autonomy in ICU nurses in Cyprus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results provide insight into the association between nurse-physician collaboration and nurses' autonomy and the correlating factors.
authors.affiliation: Education Sector, Nursing Services, Ministry of Health, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Evanthia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: Cyprus University of Technology Department of Nursing, Limassol, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Elizabeth DE
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papathanassoglou
authors.affiliation: Open University of Cyprus, Health Care Management, Strovolos, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pavlakis
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D064648:Critical Care Nursing; D003535:Cyprus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Autonomy; Clinical decision-making; Collaboration; Critical care; Power disparities; Professional satisfaction