Fostering nurse-physician relationships enhances workforce outcomes

Fostering collaborative relationships between nurses and physicians improves nursing workforce outcomes and promotes a supportive work environment, according to a systematic review of 19 studies published in the March issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration. Nurse-physician collaboration involves shared decision-making, effective communication and mutual respect. The authors call for nurse leaders to foster a culture of nurse-physician collaboration through empirically driven measures and strong organizational leadership. In addition, nurse leaders should monitor and evaluate the level of nurse-physician collaboration within health care organizations.