Understanding Nurse-to-Nurse Relationships and Their Impact on Work Environments

Headnote

Understanding nurse relationships is crucial in determining if health care environments are healthy places of work. Highlighting the factors that foster positive nurse-to-nurse relationships and elements that impede such relationships can help nurses create and sustain healthy work environments.

Introduction

Nurse-to-nurse relationships are a key component in determining the health of a work setting. Because of the impact that such relationships can have on patients, health care organizations, nurses, and the nursing profession, it is imperative to understand how nurses relate to each other.

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to present findings from a study that explored how direct-care nurses relate to each other in everyday interactions on patient care units.

Method

This study used a mixed method research design. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected, but only qualitative findings are presented. Eighty-two staffregistered nurses responded to a researcher-developed online questionnaire. A qualitative content analysis was conducted. Data were categorized according to questions then analyzed for key thoughts. Common themes were determined.

Findings

Findings revealed participants had considered leaving the profession, and had considered leaving or had lefta nursing unit because of poor nurse relationships. Participants identified environmental characteristics necessary for good relations. The crucial role nurse managers play in establishing good nurse relations was highlighted. Participants cited new graduate actions that could enhance relationships with expert nurses. Participants also noted missing factors on many nursing units that are essential for good nurse-to-nurse relationships.

Conclusion

Positive nursing relationships are the key to establishing a healthy place of work. Only when positive nurse-to-nurse relationships are established can healthy work environments be created and sustained for nurses in the future.

Nurses must endeavor to create and sustain healthy work environments. Healthy places of work enable nurses to achieve personal satisfaction while meeting organizational objectives (Schmalenberg & Kramer, 2007). Positive, collaborative, communicative nurse-to-nurse relationships are an essential component of healthy work environments (Calendrillo, 2009; Espinoza, Lopez- Saldana, & Stonestreet, 2009; Pearson et al., 2006). Although nurse relationships are key to nurses' overall work environment, little empirical work has focused on this issue. The purpose of this article is to present findings from a study that explored how direct-care nurses relate to each other in everyday interactions on patient care units. Understanding this dynamic is...