In the challenge and stress of today's healthcare environment, it is necessary that physicians and nurses work cooperatively and smoothly.
Although this cooperation is essential to deliver first-rate healthcare, nonetheless in practice it can be very difficult to achieve.
Since those who wear suits and ties have historically been accorded greater credibility, respect, and monetary compensation than those who wear cheap medical scrubs - not to mention receiving greater support and power in the work community - the idea of collaboration between physicians and nurses is only beginning to acquire traction within the medical community.
For true cooperation to succeed it is necessary that there be a mutual respect, emotional maturity, and efficient communication between members of the distinct communities.
Both nurses and physicians must keep one central idea in mind - that of providing the best patient care possible.
Each one must understand that the other possesses specific information which both need in order to optimally serve the interests and needs of the patient.
Those wearing the cheap Landau scrubs can offer a great deal to this cooperative effort.
Nurses need to project more confidence, and to act from a position of strength in which they can contribute their opinions enthusiastically based upon their own experience and knowledge.
When they are challenged, nurses need to be able to clearly communicate their decisions or points of view respecting patient care, even if this differs from that of the other members of the medical team - physicians included.
Disagreements will inevitably arise, so it is to the benefit of all to sidestep the common fallacies of blaming others, or lashing out, when questioned.
This sort of behavior damages credibility and undermines trust and rapport.
Because the ones wearing the cheap scrub sets have long been undervalued, the nurse-physician relationship in which the nurses can play an active part is a good opportunity for the nurses to step out and shine, and to change physicians' perceptions: that is, to educate others about medical care through the unique perspective of nurses.
Emotional maturity and intelligence are the essential ingredients in the process of cooperation.
Emotional maturity implies patience, which is the key to sustaining any form of collaborative effort.
Patience, combined with creative thinking, can aid in smoothing out rough edges, especially in the beginning phase of a collaborative effort.
It is necessary to develop a communication system to determine how information will be exchanged - e.
g.
whether in person, or by email - and how conflicts will be resolved when they inevitably occur.
Techniques must be agreed upon in advance to obtain everyone's point of view and to be receptive to negotiating a solution.
Intelligence entails the ability to listen with an open, nonjudgmental mind; and to be able to consider alternate viewpoints as being valid.
It implies being able to negotiate without becoming resentful or pulling rank.
It is ideal when there is not much attachment to the idea of being right as the primary goal.
Cooperation is much more beneficial and satisfying when it is accomplished in a spirit of collaboration rather than as an exercise driven by ego - winning or losing.
Cultivating a spirit of cooperation is not only important in the care of patients, but it is also of great value for the medical team.
This is because cooperation builds team skills and increases the knowledge pool of everyone involved.
When ideas can be exchanged freely without any fear of being judged or punished, then the workplace becomes a place of continuing learning and produces a higher degree of job satisfaction for everyone.