The physician-nurse collaboration in feeding critically ill patients: A multicenter survey

Abstract Aims Describe physician-nurse collaboration in feeding critically ill patients and explore the influence factors related to this collaboration, which can provide information for clinical practice and future studies. Background Appropriate nutrition support is essential and significant for critically ill patients, and the importance of physician-nurse collaboration in other fields has been confirmed, yet there are limited studies put insights into the status of physician-nurse collaboration in feeding critically ill patients. Methods A cross-sectional survey with a covering of 15 hospitals was conducted. A 21-item questionnaire was administered to physicians and nurses in critical care units. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multiple stepwise regression analysis were performed to evaluate the physician-nurse collaboration in feeding critically ill patients. Results A total of 331 respondents completed the questionnaire. Nurses and physicians were found to have differing perceptions of the physician-nurse collaboration in feeding critically ill patients, with nurses reporting lower levels of collaboration. Nurses consistently gave more negative responses on every survey question compared with physicians. Age, education and clinical experience significantly influenced the nurses' perceptions of cooperation, and age, education, ICU type, and seniority affected the physicians' perceptions of collaboration. Conclusions Physicians, nurses and hospital administrators should highlight the physician-nurse collaboration in feeding critically ill patients and reinforce the cooperation based on potential influencing factors. Further research is required to establish feasible cooperative protocol and evaluate the effectiveness of the approach.