Interdisciplinary collaboration in intensive care units from the experience of nurses

Purpose. Understanding the nurses experience who work in the ICUs of a high complexity hospital in Barcelona in relation to interprofessional collaboration. Methodology. Interpretative description by a qualitative exploratory and multicenter design. The study area was four ICUs from four high complexity, public and universitary hospitals. The sample consisted of 8 nurses. Theoretical sampling of maximum variation was used. The information gathering technique was the discussion group with audio recording. A thematic content analysis was carried out. The criteria of reliability and authenticity, as well as the process of reflexivity, were followed throughout the study. The study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee (CEIC). Results. Two major themes emerged: the definition of interprofessional collaboration and proposals for the future. Nurses consider that trust and respect are the basis of interprofessional collaboration and ensure the continuity of planned objectives. Communication and the relationship between equals are two of the factors involved in interprofessional collaboration. It is necessary to change from a conventional hierarchy to a shared vision that would improve the participation of nurses. Conclusions. The great pillars of interdisciplinary collaboration are effective communication and teamwork, based on trust and respect. Future lines of work are focused on the interdisciplinary training of future professionals, the actual implementation of the clinical sessions and the improvement of the work environment.