RN–MD RELATIONSHIPS

Abstract

Peoria, AZ Editor's note: “Nurse–Physician Relationships” (June), by Alan H. Rosenstein, reported the author's research of disruptive physician behavior and its effect on nurse satisfaction. The study received widespread news media attention, including coverage in U.S. News & World Report, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Modern Healthcare, Modern Physician, and Marketplace (Public Radio International). To follow are comments from AJN’ s readers in reaction to both the study and my accompanying Editorial, “MD–RN: A Tired Old Dance.” Readers were generally supportive of the study results and wanted to know how to address the problem of disruptive physician behavior (and some offered their own suggestions). A good start would be to share this article with your nurse colleagues and the physicians and administrators at your facility, which might provoke a discussion about the relevance of these issues at your institution. Editor's note: When I wrote the editorial, I was mindful that it might appear that I was blaming the victim. In my experience, nurses go out of their way to develop good working relationships with physicians. Nevertheless, as I noted, nurses too often put up with abusive behavior and perpetuate the inequalities in nurse–physician relationships. Physicians must recognize their role in this dance, but nurses should not wait for them to do so.