Attitudes of nurses and physicians of the hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences toward collaboration with each other

In order to face the challenges of today’s health system، it is extremely important to promote collaborations among disciplines. Nevertheless، it seems that nurses and physicians cooperate more effectively in academic areas، and their partnership in the actual work place and clinical settings is associated with challenges. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the attitudes of doctors and nurses in hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences toward collaboration with each other. For this purpose، the Jefferson Scale of attitudes toward physician-nurse collaboration was used after it was translated and its validity and reliability were examined on 59 physicians and 164 nurses. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 18. The results showed a more positive attitude toward the concept of collaboration among nurses (3. 49) than physicians (3. 12) (P = 0. 02). Moreover، a significant difference was observed between the attitudes of physicians and nurses toward working together across various items of the questionnaire (F = 5. 06، P = 0. 02)، with the exception of the area of nursing autonomy (F = 0. 95، P = 0. 32). An appropriate nurse-physician relationship and agreement over treatment plans can increase the quality of care، and lack of cooperation can lead to stress in the workplace. Therefore، in-service training for doctors and nurses and attention to the importance of cooperation among members of the medical team must be incorporated into the nursing and medical curriculum. Thus، the traditional views on the role of nurses will change، and nurses will be able to perform their professional duties more effectively. Consequently، the cooperation between physicians and nurses and the fortified synergy between the roles will improve the quality of care.