Nurse-Physician Relationships in Hospitals: 20 000 Nurses Tell Their Story

Schmalenberg, Claudia RN, MSN
Kramer, Marlene RN, PhD

Claudia Schmalenberg is president, nursing, at Health Science Research Associates, Tahoe City, California.
Marlene Kramer is vice president, nursing, at Health Science Research Associates, Apache Junction, Arizona.

Corresponding author: Claudia Schmalenberg, rn, msn, P. O. Box 7667, Tahoe City, CA 96145 (e-mail:[email protected]).

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Critical Care Nurse 29(1):p 74-83, February 2009. | DOI: 10.4037/ccn2009436

PRIME POINTS

“Good” relationships between nurses and physicians are important to high-quality patient care.
Five different types of nurse-physician relationships exist on clinical units.
What are the differences in the nursephysician climate between magnet and comparison hospitals?
What are the organizational structures and best leadership practices that help nurses develop collegial and collaborative relationships with physicians?