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. 2025 May 26:1-8.
doi: 10.1159/000546043. Online ahead of print.

Interprofessional Collaboration and Job Satisfaction in German Intensive Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Survey within the PRiVENT Project

Thomas Fleischhauer  1 , Elena Biehler  1 , Julia Dorothea Michels-Zetsche  2 , Franziska C Trudzinski  2 , Janina Schubert-Haack  3 , Johanna Forstner  1   4 , Armin Schneider  5 , Axel Kempa  6 , Biljana Joves  6 , Claus Neurohr  7 , Felix J F Herth  2 , Joachim Szecsenyi  1 , Michel Wensing  1
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Interprofessional Collaboration and Job Satisfaction in German Intensive Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Survey within the PRiVENT Project

Thomas Fleischhauer et al. Respiration. .

Abstract

Introduction: The multicentre cluster-randomized PRiVENT study aims to improve weaning of long-term ventilated patients in German intensive care units via a complex interprofessional intervention. To assess perceptions on interprofessional collaboration and job satisfaction among different health professions, a survey was conducted in four clusters, each comprising one weaning centre and 7-12 cooperation hospitals.

Methods: Three validated questionnaires were used to measure (a) interprofessional socialization (7-level Likert scale), (b) interprofessional collaboration (5-level), and (c) job satisfaction (7-level). Alongside a descriptive analysis, a subgroup analysis was performed comparing mean scores between physicians and non-physicians and the four clusters. Correlation coefficients were calculated to check for correlations of age group and work experience with interprofessional collaboration and job satisfaction.

Results: Sixty-two questionnaires were returned by health workers of the intensive care units, corresponding to a response rate of 47%. Respondents rated interprofessional socialization (5.7 ± 0.6) and collaboration (3.8 ± 0.6) as good. Job satisfaction was high (5.1 ± 1.0), particularly regarding the collegial environment and variety of work tasks. Satisfaction with physical workload, income, and working hours was lower. Compared to physicians, overall ratings of non-physicians were lower, although the differences were not statistically significant, as were those between clusters. There was a statistically significant positive correlation of age group and work experience with overall job satisfaction.

Conclusion: Health workers within PRiVENT are satisfied with their workplace conditions and rate interprofessional collaboration as good. Follow-up surveys will provide insights into the impact of PRiVENT on interprofessional cooperation and job satisfaction.

Keywords: Intensive care; Interprofessional collaboration; Invasive mechanical ventilation; Job satisfaction; Weaning.

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Conflict of interest statement

Franziska Trudzinski is an associate editor and Felix J.F. Herth is the editor-in-chief of the Journal “Respiration.” Franziska C. Trudzinski and Felix J.F. Herth were both a member of the journal’s Editorial Board at the time of submission. All other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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