Enhancing Inpatient Team Communication Among Pediatric Nurses and Residents

Background: Nurse and physician collaboration is important in patient care satisfaction. Improving communication among the inpatient nurses and residents was identified as a top priority within our Pediatric Quality Improvement Committee at Carilion Children's Hospital for 2021. ​

Methods: Communication committee formed (inpatient pediatric residents and nurses).​ Communication survey administered.​ Interventions were identified through survey results and committee planning:​

• Nurse-Intern Mentor Program​
• Human Factor Engineers audit of rounding which led to addition of a clinical lead nurse on rounds​
• Communication Guidelines for nurses and residents​ PDSA cycles carried out following interventions​. Post-intervention survey administered 1 year from start of project​.

Summary and Conclusion: Communication deficiencies among nurses and residents decreased following the initiation of Nurse-Intern Mentor program, addition of Clinical Lead Nurse on rounds, and implementing communication guidelines for nurses and residents. There was NO improvement in the communication deficiency responses involving the “delays of care”. Face-to-face communication also did not significantly improve post-intervention. More intervention planning is required to promote improvement in face-to-face communication among nurses and residents. ​