It has been documented that a safe work environment that prioritizes process improvement may enhance patient experiences. An effective physician-nurse leader connection is one of the essential elements of this setting. Talk about an instance where you engaged or failed to engage a physician leader in patient experience initiatives.
What might you have changed or improved upon to do better?
What worked if you were successful?
Did any of these actions lead to safer patient outcomes? Why, or why not?
Effective Collaboration for Improved Patient Outcomes
Engaging physician leaders is crucial for initiatives aimed at enhancing the patient experience. A collaborative physician-nurse relationship can help foster a culture of continuous process improvement and ensure the priorities of both safety and experience are addressed (Weaver et al., 2016). When this connection is lacking, it becomes difficult to fully align efforts or evaluate initiatives from multiple perspectives.
In one instance, I failed to adequately bring a physician leader into discussions regarding a new patient survey tool we hoped to implement. This was largely due to assumptions on both sides about each other’s roles and priorities. I approached the physician as an “approval step” rather than a true collaborator. We did not take time to understand each other’s viewpoints or address concerns in a joint problem-solving manner. As a result, the tool was not optimized based on physician input during development, which later led to issues in rollout and uptake (King & Gerard, 2016).
Moving forward, I have found it beneficial to view physician engagement not as a task to complete but as a relationship to cultivate over time. Setting up informal check-ins to discuss challenges and opportunities, without an agenda, has helped build rapport and trust. When a specific initiative arises, we then have an established foundation for open dialogue. I also aim to clarify misperceptions by actively listening to different perspectives and finding common goals, such as ensuring patient well-being, upon which to build solutions (Baker et al., 2017).
These adjusted approaches have led to greater success integrating physician feedback into projects and a shared sense of joint accountability for outcomes. For example, tweaks to an electronic health record based on physician and nurse input streamlined workflows and documentation processes, freeing up more time for direct patient interactions. Studies have shown such interactions to be a key factor in patient experience and satisfaction, which can positively influence clinical indicators like medication adherence (Doyle et al., 2013). Overall, making physician engagement intentional and collaborative seems to better support initiatives with the end goal of enhancing the patient experience and achieving safer care.
Baker, G. R., Denis, J. L., Pomey, M. P., & MacIntosh-Murray, A. (2017). Designing effective governance for quality and safety in Canadian healthcare. Healthcare Papers, 5(2), 8–22. https://doi.org/10.12927/hcpap.2005.18178
Doyle, C., Lennox, L., & Bell, D. (2013). A systematic review of evidence on the links between patient experience and clinical safety and effectiveness. BMJ Open, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001570
King, A., & Gerard, S. O. (2016). Essential knowledge for CNL and APRN nurse leaders. Springer Publishing Company.
Weaver, S. J., Lubomski, L. H., Wilson, R. F., Pfoh, E. R., Martinez, K. A., & Dy, S. M. (2013). Promoting a culture of safety as a patient safety strategy: A systematic review. Annals of Internal Medicine, 158(5_Part_2), 369–374. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-158-5-201303051-00002
