Nurses and physicians often are unaware of each other’s workflows and responsibilities, which can put a damper on workplace morale, hinder engagement, and contribute to burnout. The daily interactions between nurses and physicians have a far-reaching impact, and improving teamwork and professional communications not only builds trust and respect among physicians and nurses but also has a positive effect on patient safety outcomes and paves the way for a favorable nurse-physician work culture that bolsters nurse recruitment and retention.
During an Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) webinar, “Building Trust and Respect Amongst Nurses and Physicians,” Mary Adame, MBA, MHA, BSN, RN, and January Baclig, MSN, RN, highlighted the CREATE (Nurses and Physicians Collaborating to Raise the bar on Engagement, pro-Activity, Teamwork, and Excellence) project that was developed and implemented at Parkland Hospital Health System in Dallas. “The CREATE project focuses on building respectful and trusting relationships between nurses and physicians through a series of two-way conversations via in-person education and shared perspectives,” Adame and Baclig say. “These collaborative efforts discussed workflows and professional management of a multitude of patient care plans, including but not limited to congestive heart failure, diabetes, and sepsis. CREATE allowed 30 minutes of uninterrupted time to learn rationales related to physician order sets and nursing processes.”
The webinar provided firsthand accounts of the benefits of implementing a collaborative environment and emphasized the role nurses played in its creation. According to Adame and Baclig, “The CREATE project was a physician-nurse driven project. Nurses were included in every aspect of the decision-making process. This collaboration provided opportunities for new and experienced nurses to provide meaningful feedback to the project team.”
The CREATE project is important not only in promoting a healthy workplace but also in maintaining a safe environment for patients, they explain. “We find it extremely meaningful for a healthcare team to develop a professional relationship that embraces understanding of each other’s work responsibilities as well as the professional oath devoted to keeping our patients safe from harm,” Adame and Baclig add. “Medical-surgical nurses are highly encouraged to view our presentation due to the hierarchical organization structure in healthcare as well as communication being one of the top reasons for safety events to occur.”
During the webinar, Adame and Baclig offered several actionable strategies to help medical-surgical nurses enhance their practice. “Medical-surgical nurses can expect to gain a heightened level of confidence, autonomy, and empowerment in their style of communication with providers,” they assert. “They also will gain a new knowledge base on specific nursing skills, such as the sequences of antibiotic administration, the rationale of sepsis protocol, and the significance of early recognition and intervention in healthcare management.”
The webinar recording is available to AMSN members for $10 and non-members for $20.