The Nurses’ Perspectives About Barriers of Nurse-Physician Collaboration in Intensive Care Units: A Q-Methodology Study

Background: Nurse-physician collaboration is essential for providing effective and safe patient care in intensive care units. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the different viewpoints of nurses working in intensive care units about the barriers to nurse-physician collaboration in Kashan/Iran by 2020. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that employed a Q-methodology approach. Thirty intensive care nurses sorted the 24 statements into a 9-column Q-sort diagram ranging from -4 as not important to +4 as very important. The data were analyzed with PQMethod 2.35 software. The centroid factor analysis and varimax rotation were used for data analysis. The corresponding people for each extraction factor in the Q methodology were grouped and classified, and distinguishing statements were determined. Results: Four viewpoints were determined that could explain the 52.95% variance in the barriers to nurse-physician collaboration. The factors were named as different professional interests and lack of trust between nurses and physicians (26.77% of variance), goal confusion (10.74% of variance), systemic barriers to collaboration (8.17% of variance), and personal differences (7.25% of variance). Conclusions: Nurses had different viewpoints about barriers to nurse-physician collaboration. Different strategies and solutions are needed to improve collaboration, such as education, defining common goals, enhancing collaborative culture, and reaching mutual respect and understanding. Effective teamwork is essential for patient safety and a healthy work environment.