Differences in communication within the nursing group and with members of other professions at a hospital unit.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate what differences exist in nurses' communications with each other as opposed to their communications with members of other healthcare professions.

BACKGROUND: Difficulties have been reported related to the introduction of interdisciplinary collaboration in hospitals even when their efficacy has been demonstrated.

DESIGN: This paper is a report of a project that was a cross-sectional survey design.

METHOD: Nurses and assistant nurses received questionnaires that examined two different components of interdisciplinary collaboration. Using the psychometric method known as Systematizing Person-Group Relations to gather data and for analysis, the method aims to investigate the dominant aspects of the particular work environment by identifying key characteristics of interdisciplinary collaboration.

RESULTS: The respondents reported significant differences in six of the 12 factors; high scores on caring, acceptance, engagement and empathy characterised communication with members of their own professional group as low scores on the same factors characterised communication with other healthcare professions.

CONCLUSION: Findings in this study suggests that nurses behave in a more loyal, accepting and critical manner when communicating with each other than they do when communicating with members of other healthcare professions. Nurses are more influenced by behaviours characterised by assertiveness and resignation in their communication with members of other healthcare professions. The findings indicate that nurse's experience mixed emotions and behaviours that influence their communications with healthcare personnel from other professions.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses often hold key positions on interdisciplinary collaboration; therefore, they must develop the communicative skills required in this position to be able to improve the quality of patient care in hospitals, related to nurses' experiences and skills.