Interdisciplinary Communication in the ICU

Interdisciplinary communication in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is complicated by the dynamic workflow of clinicians, instability of patients, and highly technological therapies, equipment and information systems. Many countries have examined methods to improve clinician communication and to understand common patient care goals. Using focus group and interview transcripts of ICU nurse practitioners, medical residents, medical fellows and attending physicians about antibiotic prescribing, we performed a secondary analysis of themes related to interdisciplinary communication with registered nurses (RNs). This qualitative descriptive user analysis utilized Baggs and Schmitt's Interdisciplinary Collaboration Model as a coding framework. We found that the clinicians studied value the availability of time sensitive information when it impacts their decisions and workflow and trust RNs' judgment of clinical information and situations. Future work should include analyses of RN perceptions of interdisciplinary communication in the ICU.

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