title: Differences in communication within the nursing group and with members of other professions at a hospital unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate what differences exist in nurses' communications with each other as opposed to their communications with members of other healthcare professions.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Difficulties have been reported related to the introduction of interdisciplinary collaboration in hospitals even when their efficacy has been demonstrated.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper is a report of a project that was a cross-sectional survey design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nurses and assistant nurses received questionnaires that examined two different components of interdisciplinary collaboration. Using the psychometric method known as Systematizing Person-Group Relations to gather data and for analysis, the method aims to investigate the dominant aspects of the particular work environment by identifying key characteristics of interdisciplinary collaboration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The respondents reported significant differences in six of the 12 factors; high scores on caring, acceptance, engagement and empathy characterised communication with members of their own professional group as low scores on the same factors characterised communication with other healthcare professions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings in this study suggests that nurses behave in a more loyal, accepting and critical manner when communicating with each other than they do when communicating with members of other healthcare professions. Nurses are more influenced by behaviours characterised by assertiveness and resignation in their communication with members of other healthcare professions. The findings indicate that nurse's experience mixed emotions and behaviours that influence their communications with healthcare personnel from other professions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses often hold key positions on interdisciplinary collaboration; therefore, they must develop the communicative skills required in this position to be able to improve the quality of patient care in hospitals, related to nurses' experiences and skills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.|NTNU Center for Health Promotion Research, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: André
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.|NTNU Center for Health Promotion Research, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Torunn H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Nøst
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Sigrun A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Frigstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Endre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sjøvold
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology
keywords: communication; nursing; professions; work environment