| Abstract [eng] |
Effective communication is a key part of healthcare and has a direct impact on patient safety, treatment outcomes, and how well the healthcare system works. It is becoming increasingly important not only to evaluate existing practices, but also to scientifically substantiate how the characteristics of professional communication between nurses and doctors can determine the quality of healthcare. Communication gaps, information asymmetry, and professional hierarchy pose risks to patient safety and teamwork effectiveness, making this study important not only for practical improvement but also for health policy development. The aim of this study is to identify the communication between nurses and doctors in a clinical setting. Objectives: 1) To examine the beginning and end of communication between nurses and doctors in a clinical setting; 2) To compare communication between nurses and doctors in a clinical setting when sharing information about patients; 3) To determine the level of satisfaction with communication between nurses and doctors in a clinical environment. Methodology and materials. A quantitative cross-sectional study and a descriptive literature review were conducted. Data were collected through a survey. The instrument was a questionnaire consisting of three parts: sociodemographic data of respondents, opinions on communication between nurses and doctors, and level of satisfaction with mutual communication. Statistical analysis of the research data was performed using SPSS Statistics 20 software and MS Excel 2016. The study involved 384 nurses and 378 doctors working in Lithuanian healthcare institutions. Results. When assessing the aspects of the beginning and end of mutual communication, it was found that both doctors and nurses most often communicate about patient examinations, greeting and showing attention (indicated positively by more than 90% of respondents), and least often about cooperation, the advantages of treatment methods, information about the prognosis, and communication on behalf of patients (less than 40%). When assessing communication differences between professions, significant differences were found between the communication received and that provided, especially in the areas of treatment aspects, planned actions, and test results (differences ranged from 34% to 65%). The views of doctors and nurses on the content of communication also differed significantly, particularly in terms of attentiveness, treatment methods, and greetings. Satisfaction with communication was reported by 87% of doctors and 65% of nurses (p<0.05). Doctors reported significantly higher satisfaction with mutual communication than nurses. Significant differences according to socio-demographic characteristics were also found in the group of doctors – those younger than 40 years of age, with less than 5 years of experience and working in city clinical hospitals were significantly more satisfied with communication (p<0.05). Conclusions. The study found that doctors adhere to the rules of initiating communication more often than nurses, but elements of communication closure, such as summarizing and feedback, are used less frequently, especially by older specialists. The sharing of information about patients is not always sufficient – doctors are more likely to initiate the transfer of important information, and the quality of communication is higher in urban healthcare institutions. A statistically significant difference was also found in the area of satisfaction with communication – 87% of doctors were satisfied with communication, compared to 65% of nurses, which indicates different experiences of receiving information and emotional support between the professions. Keywords: nurses, doctors, communication, clinical environment. |
