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Moving forward with nurse/physician relations

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, August 29, 2006

Healthcare organizations beginning the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® (MRP) journey should consider improving nurse/physician relationships, collaboration, and collegiality in order to positively move forward on the journey. At the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Barbara Hannon, RN, MSN, MRp coordinator, created a PowerPoint presentation that linked the nursing shortage with the importance of having a zero tolerance for abuse of any kind for all staff, and that discussed the importance of supporting designation and having an environment that will retain nurses.

In an academic environment, the opportunity for improvement in nurse/physician relations is always present, Hannon says. Therefore, before the site visit in 2003, Hannon and Linda Q. Everett, PhD, CNAA, BC, FAAN, associate director and chief nursing officer and director, department of nursing services and patient care, requested to be placed on the agenda for all monthly physician faculty meetings. At the meetings, they gave the 15-minute PowerPoint presentation to the physicians, after which a discussion ensued about how the physicians could help. During these discussions, Hannon said she found out that some physicians had not made a connection between the nursing shortage and physician behavior in some areas. "The faculty presentations opened the door to improved relations with physicians in the academic environment," said Hannon.

Three years after the site visit, Hannon and Everett annually go to each of the faculty meetings to present updates to physicians on what is happening in the department of nursing. Hannon said these annual presentations have become important to the physicians and they have stated that they look forward to a presentation on the "happenings" in the department of nursing.

Source: Barbara Hannon

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