Strategies to Improve Nurse-Physician Relations

AUDIOCONFERENCE ON TAPE OR CD

Sponsored by Speak Your Truth: Proven Strategies for Effective Nurse-Physician Communication

presented on October 6 , 2006

Communication between doctors and nurses can be a major source of angst and frustration for everyone involved. But its greatest impact often falls on the nurses, who feel that doctors don't understand what they do, don't value their work, and who sometimes view nurses as second-class professionals. This creates unhealthy tension. And when doctors and nurses butt heads, patient safety is at risk.

Many nurses work in environments that allow physicians to be verbally abusive. Working under such conditions can lead to mistakes due to a lack of communication and dissatisfaction with the job. In some cases, the abuse can become so bad that nurses leave the facility. If nurses knew exactly what was expected of them and their colleagues, which behaviors they do not have to tolerate, and actual methods for improving communication with doctors, they would feel more confident, communicate more effectively, and set a new standard for collegial working relationships.

Listen to this 90-minute audioconference during which our expert speakers provide an in-depth look at disruptive physician-nurse relations and what can be done to improve communication between these two parties. This program also discusses the impact of poor physician-nurse relations on retention, morale, and patient safety.

Learn strategies that our speakers have utilized in their own professional experience for treating the frustrating problems that result from disruptive physician behavior, a hostile work environment, and a lack of respect for nurses.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After attending this program, you will be able to:

• Describe the seriousness and scope of poor physician-nurse relations
• Recognize the impact of poor physician-nurse relations
• Identify strategies to improve physician and nurse relations and communication
• State the barriers that staff may face in their efforts to improve physician-nurse relations
• Outline a practical process to achieve great physician-nurse communication
• List three practical interventions that you personally can do to improve nurse-physician communication

PROGRAM AGENDA

1. Physician-nurse relationships: How big is the problem?
   1. Brief historical review—why are we talking about it now?
   
   
2. What is the impact of this problem?
   1. Impact on retention, morale, and nurse satisfaction
   2. Impact on nurse and physician satisfaction
   3. Impact on patient safety
   
   
3. It can get better: Success stories of improved physician-nurse relationships


4. Barriers to success:
   1. What are the biggest barriers?
   2. What can be done to overcome them?
   
   
5. Getting practical
   1. Ten practical things staff nurses can do to improve physician-nurse relationships
   2. Ten practical things nurse managers can do to improve physician-nurse relationships
   3. Ten practical things physicians can do to improve physician-nurse relationships

A question and answer session follows the presentation.

FACULTY

Kathleen Bartholomew, RN, MN served as the manager of a 57-bed orthopedic and spine unit in a tertiary hospital in Seattle for six years. As a registered nurse and counselor, Bartholomew uses story to shed light on the challenges and issues facing nurses today. She has been a national speaker for the nursing profession for the past four years. Recognizing that the culture of an institution is critical to patient safety, she speaks on building community in the workplace and improving physician-nurse and nurse-nurse relationships. She is the author of Speak Your Truth: Proven Strategies for Effective Nurse-Physician Communication and Ending Nurse-to-Nurse Hostility: Why Nurses Eat Their Young and Each Other.

Rick Sheff, MD serves as chairman and executive director for The Greeley Company. He is a leading faculty member for Greeley's national seminars and provides educational and consulting services in a wide range of areas, including governance, hospital and medical staff performance improvement, managing poor quality and disruptive physicians, patient safety and error reduction, credentialing, medical staff effectiveness and redesign, medical staff leadership development, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance.

BONUS MATERIAL INCLUDED IN YOUR MATERIALS PACKET

In addition to the expertise and advice presented during this audioconference, you'll receive performance models and practical lists you can use to improve physician-nurse relations. These materials are provided with PDF links.

WHO SHOULD LISTEN?

Staff nurses, nurse managers, chief nursing officers, directors of nursing, human resources professionals, quality/patient safety, staff educators, physicians

Purchase a tape or CD of the program and listen when you can. It's a perfect training tool for new staff or as a refresher for veteran staff.

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