I chose an article from The 

Journal of Interprofessional Care. The article, Physician and nursing

perceptions concerning interprofessional communication and collaboration, was a study
published in July of 2014 focusing on perceptions of nursing and physicians regarding
communication and collaboration between the professions. The study examined years of
experience, age, sex, clinic size and educational background in relation to beliefs of existing
communication and collaboration between the two professions. 

 A sample of the results of the study includes information that 60% of the nurses involved in the
study, felt their opinions were not accepted by the physicians and the physicians did not
collaborate or include them in the decision making process of patient care. The physicians
results included that while they respected the profession of nursing, "they hardly approved of
nurses' judgements regarding treatment or decision making (Matziou et al., 2014, p 529). other
results included that the higher level of nurses' education improved communication and
collaboration. The final results of the study suggested that "nurses and physicians do not share
the same views concerning the effectiveness of their communication and nurses' role in the
decision -making process of the patients' care" (Matziou et al., 2014, p 526). The clinicians
performing the study determined, "The "key" for true interprofessional collaboration seems to
be ongoing interprofessional negotiation between individual nurses and physicians and other
professionalism. This would lead to development of mutual understanding and respect through
the multidimensional process of provision of care" (Matziou et al., 2014, p 533). The authors
also went on to suggest "it is the mutual recognition of interdependence of nurses and
physicians that will lead the way to interprofessional collaborative clinical practice" (Matziou et
al., 2014, p 533).

I see this study having significant importance to nursing practice. The finding alone of nurses
with higher levels of education feeling more valued and are able to collaborate and
communicate better with physicians is suggestive of a need for change in the education and
preparedness of nurses. The study found "the need to create and develop common educational
programs promoting communication and interprofessional collaboration" (Matziou et al., 2014,
p 533). Patient outcomes and satisfaction scores also were effected by nurse and physician
interprofessional collaboration and communication. "When the relationship between the
members of the interprofessional team was explicit and constructive, the quality of the
provided care was improving resulting in higher satisfaction of patients and healthcare
professionals. Participating in the decision-making process and assigning responsibilities were
leading in the creation of a better healthcare plan" (Matziou et al., 2014, p 531). It is findings like
these that I feel will push the nursing profession forward in a positive way.

Matziou, V., Vlahioti, E., Perdikaris, P., Matziou, T., Megapanou, E., & Petsios, K. (2014,
November). Physician and nursing perceptions concerning interprofessional communication
and collaboration.  Journal of Interprofessional Care, 28(6), 526-533.
doi:10.3109/13561820.2014.934338