Communication between doctors, nurses, and other members is vital in today’s high-tech, high-stress health care system. According to one study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), a patient may interact with 50 different healthcare providers during a four-day hospital stay, including doctors, nurses, and technicians and so on. Effective communication and team collaboration are essential. When doctors are not in communication with nursing staff or each other, patient safety is at risk.
The sad reality is that healthcare providers don’t talk to each other as much as they should. They don’t spend enough time talking to each other about the patient’s needs or communicating with the patient. According to a report from the Joint Commissions, cited by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), communication failures are the cause of 70% of sentinel events. Another report from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, cited by NCBI shows that nurses mention communication problems with doctors as one of the two most highly contributing factors to patient care errors.
The increasingly complex needs of patients and the constant changes in the healthcare system created an environment that can only work properly through effective communication. So, why is the level of collaboration still low between healthcare professionals?
The Challenges of Effective Communication Among Healthcare Professionals
There are many factors that make effective communication in the healthcare system challenging. For starters, healthcare professionals tend to work independently, even though they consider themselves as part of a group. As a result, they often have their own understanding of what a patient needs.
The hierarchical structure of nurse-doctor relationship, which has been based on education and gender, is also a leading factor in conflicts and lack of collaboration. A Study by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices reflects that intimidation is one of the major causes of medication error. The study showed that half of the responded said they felt pressured into giving a medication at some point in their careers, but they were too intimidated by the doctors to voice their concerns.
Differences in education and training are another factor that can lead to a lack of communication. Doctors get no education in working with nurses and vice versa, but they are put in a highly stressful environment and expected to work together well.
So, how can one change all this and create a culture that supports communication and team collaboration? Here are a few simple steps that can encourage doctors to communicate more with nurses and each other…
- Address the Situation
One of the most important steps in establishing a communication culture is the willingness to address the situation. More often than not, nurses don’t speak assertively, afraid that they will come across as rude. But, speaking your mind is essential not only to your patient’s well-being but your professional success as a nurse, as well.
- Create a Friendly Environment
According to NCBI, healthcare professionals value familiarity more than formality. That means creating an environment where doctors and nurses can question each other’s decision-making without feeling intimated or fearing a negative outcome.
- Focused Team Training Programs
Team training programs are one of the newest and most efficient methods of improving collaboration among doctors and nurses. By establishing a culture of respect, trust, accountability, open communication, and shared decision-making, you can minimize the risk of error.
Think about it this away. Even the best doctor or nurse can make a mistake. By providing constructive feedback and by being able to question every medical decision in a safe environment, you can reduce potential errors and improve every aspect of patient care. However, doctors must take the time to meet the nurses and other physicians they are working with, learn their names, and understand that a patient’s health always comes before personal pride.
- Practice Collaboration
You need to understand that conflicts and differences of opinions are inevitable in a setting where there’s so much professional diversity. Instead of rejecting someone’s suggestion instantly, take a second to analyze their point of view. You might be surprised to discover a fresh insight or solution to a problem.
Doctors who don’t trust, respect, and collaborate with nursing staff or one another are more likely to make a mistake that could affect the safety of patients. To combat this issue, healthcare professionals need to work constantly to improve their communication skills and foster an environment that supports collaboration.
What do you think? Share your thoughts on this important topic in the comments section below.
This article was republished with permission from SCRUBS Magazine.
I agree this remains a problem but let’s also consider that in an issue of “Modern Nursing” we are actually discussing nursing issues from before the 1930’s and from the 1950’s and later. STOP! Think about that decades of “allowing” this interaction. Don’t offer me platatudes about communication 101 when my patient is in trouble! You have to develop your own practice within the facility policy but it is my opinion in some situations, as a nurse your choices are clear you know and staying in the scope of your practice, you triage and you prioritize. If you are lucky, you have a team to cover your other patients in the short term and you handle the urgent things without intimidation. You call the doctor and you state the facts, your assessment with the urgency it needs and you tell them what you want from them; most often something to start with like labs, ecg, portable chest xray but you state in clear terms I want you to come now and assess your patient and you have the assesments and evaluation to show the need. In my own pracice in general I will try three times if things are not unstable. If I can’t get a return call or any direction or things get more urgent I call the supervisor and tell them the issue and ask for their help and I make sure they understand I am legally informing you of this issue so you can do your part to resolve this. You get your patient cared for and deal with the fall out latter. After the crisis you chart what you did and the responses, the facts only not opinions and you fill out an incident report and turn it in. From their you engage the system with confidence. It is up to us to create not just friendly thoughtful environment but a competent one. Is it scary — yes it is but it’s scarier for the patient and thier family. We are patient advocates first and foremost and we have to hold the systems responsible as well as ourselves or 50 years from now we will be having the same conversation. Let me be clear, I am not faulting anyone for feeling intimidated, or have a hard time with it. I am saying we need to depend n each other in a cooperative climate and it’s up to us to change the system because we are the link between our patient and the system. We make mistakes, everyone of us but you do the best you can to do no harm that includes the follow up to change things where the communication 101 comes into play. Sorry I don’t mean to preach but this hit a nerve. These are not things that happen as dramatically as I described often but they can happen to anyone one of our patients on occasion.
You go girl! Your responses are accurate and likely highly effective.
I believe that the type of hospital setting plays a part in how well doctors and nurses communicate. University/teaching hospitals are geared towards good communication because education is a priority among all disciplines. For example, I worked in a university hospital setting, and both doctors and nurses were included during rounds and are located at the same workstations to encourage knowledge sharing. Also, the Emergency Department (where I worked for 12 years) was geared towards collaborative relationships and teamwork. We were very aware that if a nurse was not assertive, or a doctor wasn’t a team player, lives were at stake.
I Agree the team approach is essential, and along with appreciating each members experience, knowledge, gifts, and good will. Margaret’s point of the patient involvement is also crucial. Thanks
Blessings for 2019
I agree that there is definitely lack of communication amongst the health Care team at times. Communication is “Key” to helping the patient feel better.
Moreover, it is also vital that the patient be a part of every aspect of their care.
This was a wonderful article.