RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL INTERACTIONS AND PATIENT CARE BEHAVIORS.
Contributors: University of Utah.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 113
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Health Care Management.
Description: This study examines relationships between nurse-physician interactions and patient care behaviors in the emergency room and the neonatal units of a pediatric medical center. The respondents of the study were registered nurses and physicians employed in the two contexts. Investigation proceeded by means of naturalistic inquiry, methodology suited to examination of diverse contexts, and respondent groups.

Interviews were conducted with 7 registered nurses and 5 physicians in the emergency room and 9 registered nurses and 9 neonatologists in the neonatal units. Interviewing proceeded by two stages. First, all respondents were interviewed. Interview questions were open-ended and focused on interactions and patient care issues judged important by respondents. The initial interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed according to the constant comparative method of data analysis. Second, follow-up interviews were conducted with all respondents. The follow-up interviews were also audiotaped and transcribed. Information from the second group of interviews was utilized to modify developing conceptual categories.

Analysis of the data revealed that nurse-physician interactions and patient caretaking tasks are mutually influential. In addition, other contextual elements that influenced (and were influenced by) interactions and patient care behaviors were intrapersonal processes (e.g., perceptions and emotions) and communication styles (e.g., characterized by varying degrees of forthrightness). Another element, unit structure, imposed a unidirectional influence on contextual elements.

Similarities and differences between respondents in both contexts were highlighted and subsequently described. Emergency room nurse-physician interactions were characterized by collegiality, and typical patient care behaviors were timely and appropriate. In the neonatal units, nurse-physician interactions often were characterized by tension or conflict and patient care behaviors were less timely (in comparison to the emergency room) and in some ways less effective.

Recommendations were made for further research to examine patient care issues from the perspectives of both nurses and physicians. In addition, recommendations were made for inquiry to examine traditional nurse-physician stereotypes currently documented in the literature.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-03, Section: B, page: 0906.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, 1989.

School code: 0240.