Interventions to improve communication between nurses and physicians in the intensive care unit: An integrative literature review

Effective communication between healthcare professionals in the intensive care unit (ICU) is particularly needed.... Nurses and doctors are very important parts of the healthcare system. Thus, identifying strategies that would improve communication between these two groups may provide evidence for practical improvements in the ICU, which will ultimately improve patient outcomes. This integrative literature review aims to identify interventions that improve communication between nurses and physicians in intensive care units. In the studies presented here, the use of communication tools, team training, multidisciplinary structured shift assessment and electronic templates for documentation of situations, background assessments, recommendations, to improve communication. Although it is not clear which intervention strategies are most effective, this review suggests that these strategies improve communication to some extent.