Doctor-Nurse Relationship In Nursing

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Malaysia healthcare industry has been continuously vigilant about healthcare system. The increased number of medical and nursing schools showed that Malaysia is serious about providing quality of care. Health care system is faced with challenges and opportunities from a rapidly changing operating environment, including increasing expectations on the quality of healthcare. In the climate where efficiency, cost-effectiveness and quality improvement is concerned, inter-professional collaboration warrants re-examination as it is the key to the safe, high quality, accessible, patient-centred care desired by all. Nurses and physicians are engaged in highly interdependent tasks. They share the common goal of maximizing the health and comfort of their patients (Pike, McHugh & Canney, 1993). Therefore their collaboration is critical in achieving quality of care.

The issue of collaboration between nurses and physicians has been extensively studied (Martin et al, 2005; Varizani et al, 2005; Reader et al, 2007, Reeves & Lewin, 2004; Cowan et al, 2006; Curley, McEachen, Speroff, 1998). Traditional physician-nurse relationship was not created on collaborative platform. Traditional platforms of behaviour have been that of physician dominance and nurse deference, classically referred to as “the doctor-nurse game” (Varizanni et al, 2005). It has been stated that nurses experience high level of verbal abuse by physicians (Joubert, Du Rand, vanWyk, 2005). Further, according to Deltsidou, Mallidou & Katostaras (2000), physicians did not consider nurses equivalent members of the health care team, but they downgraded their role as a secondary and subordinate role. However, this difference is attribut...

... middle of paper ...

... and the existence of mutual trust, respect and communication. The details of each aspect of determinants will be further described in the literature review.

As a conclusion, we can see that collaborative relationship is a great relationship. It is based on mutual trust, respect and power producing willingness of nurses and physicians to co-operate with one- another. It also affords the opportunity for both nurse and physician to provide their view on issues and adequate audiences will be granted. Care plan is designed by physician together with the nurse. And, it is proven to have positive effect on patient outcomes, organizational cost, jobs satisfaction for nurses and physicians and personal growth for collaborators. Despite its benefits, continuous support from management is identified as the key to successful inter-professional collaboration (Townsend, 1993).