Physicians and nurses: friends or foes?

Abstract

Changes in the roles of physicians and nurses have resulted in interdisciplinary tension and conflict between these professionals. A strong collaborative practice is critical not only to the delivery of high-quality, cost-efficient patient care but also to the personal and professional satisfaction of physicians and nurses. Cooperation in caregiving starts with a shared vision and stated behavior expectations; implementation of this vision then leads to collaboration. Hospital executives and managers are responsible for supporting and facilitating the processes related to this vision implementation. Specifically, they should ensure that systems within the organization do not promote conflict between caregivers. In addition, they should augment the vision and behavior-change initiatives with joint nurse-physician activities that are centered around both professionals' shared interest in good patient care. An example of such an activity is creating opportunities for physicians and nurses to together discuss and plan improvements in delivery of care.