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The importance of a good relationship as a nurse with other medical professionals is too good to be ignored. Lack of healthy and good relationship among healthcare workers is one of the numerous problems facing the healthcare system.

Most nurses are observed to be frustrated and tired of other healthcare personnel’s behavior. It varies from disruptive acts, uncooperative attitudes, dismissing acts, verbal abuse, physical attack among many others.

This doesn’t mean that nurses are clean or free from all these behaviors but it is found to be rampant among other members of the team with the nurses at the receiving end.

As a nurse, the main goal is to deliver competent, safe and holistic care to the patient. A good nurse will understand that without a good communication pattern and a healthy relationship with other medical professionals, this goal can’t be met.

The healthy professional relationship among health care providers fosters quick recovery of patients. It gives no room for medical errors.

Hence, the needs to know the steps in improving the relationship among healthcare providers are as follows:

• Professional Boundary Setting; As a nurse, you have your duties and responsibilities. One of the ways to prevent conflicts and improve relationships is to set a boundary. You must know your rights, duties, roles, and responsibilities as well as your limits. Knowing your rights and being assertive with it helps to prevent infringement of rights and any other emotional distress. Knowing your limits prevent any indiscipline from your part. This keeps you accountable and allows you to treat others with respect. Knowing your responsibilities and carrying it out efficiently will give no room for disrespect from other professionals.

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• Good Communication pattern;
  As a nurse, there is a need to communicate with other healthcare providers. You are the only one who spends more time with the patient. You know a lot of information about the patient by the virtue of this. You should be able to give information in detail, brief and organized manner. You should be confident when communicating your observations. Don’t be shy, or inferior.  As a nurse, you should also be understanding. This doesn’t mean you should allow others to take you for granted. Also, beware of your tone, facial expressions, and body languages when communicating. Be assertive and not aggressive when there is a misunderstanding. Also when voicing out your opinion or when you disagree with a line of management.

Don’t be afraid of stating your opinion or been your patient’s advocate, that is one of your duties.

• Be prepared; You are a nurse. you are there to care for your patients. There are many things vying for your attention but always endeavor to know and read about your patients, their conditions, line of care and other matters concerning them.

Having the knowledge of what is happening, being observant, asking thoughtful questions during the ward round and carrying out duties efficiently will give no room for disrespect.

Ability to create the impression that you know what you are doing will make you gain respect and trust from other medical professionals. This will go a long way to create a healthy relationship among healthcare professionals.

• Acknowledge the work they put in; One of the ways to get others to hate you is to be egotistical and not acknowledging others effort. Even though this attitude isn’t common with nurses. You can practice this often as it softens people even difficult ones.

Acknowledging the work done by others goes a long way in validating their emotions. It prevents frustrations and enhances a good healthy relationship.

• Positive, Humorous and patience; One of the ways to get people’s approval and soften them is to shower them with positive words and kindness.

Being humorous relaxes a tensed situation and can be a way out of difficult situations.

Patience is also a virtue to have in order to improve one’s relationship with other co-workers.

It is hard to be calm when people are not listening to you, doesn’t reason with you or sees their mistakes. It is good to thread with caution and be patient. Try to explain things and bring evidence of what you are saying. This will go a long to prevent conflict.

As a nurse, you are also human and you can’t control other people’s attitude or behavior towards you. But, you can choose the way you react to people’s negative attitudes.

This will help in improving your relationship with other healthcare professionals.

Written by Ramat Rasheed

FNA Intern
Read More »5 Ways Nurses Can Improve Their Relationship With Other Medical Professionals By Rasheed Ramat