With state regulations limiting NP autonomy so that they must collaborate with a physician, some NPs are left with no option but to follow through. However, a collaborative practice can still be effective when both parties are dedicated to providing quality care. Through open communication, trust, and joint education opportunities, NPs and physicians can enhance their partnership and create a stronger foundation for patient-centered care.
Avoiding Scope Confusion
When collaborating with physicians, it is essential to begin the partnership by communicating specific responsibilities and expectations for each role. By defining each other’s abilities and limitations, both NPs and physicians can effectively avoid potential overlap, bypass any confusion, and foster a working relationship that is complementary to each other.
Without these standards set in place, NPs and physicians may inadvertently take on the same tasks due to overlapping abilities. For the patient, this is a frustrating process to be a part of as they will be receiving communication about their health from two different parties, inevitably causing confusion.
To avoid confusion and establish working boundaries within a collaborative practice, NPs and physicians have multiple options.
Because each state has its own practice regulations, NPs and physicians can easily turn to legal limitations to understand which types of care the NP is authorized to perform. After the state restrictions have been settled, NPs and physicians can then develop guidelines that outline which types of tasks will be handled by which professional. Abilities may still overlap, so they can consider establishing primary points of contact to avoid inadvertently working on the same task. For example, while the NP handles follow-ups for a medical condition, the physician can take the lead when complications arise.
Developing Trust
The need for communication doesn’t end after the boundaries have been set. It needs to be a consistent feature of the partnership to foster a trustworthy relationship, leading to both a stronger collaboration and more efficient practice. NPs and physicians can intentionally work to build trust by holding joint meetings with patients, one-on-ones with each other, sharing notes, and even discussing treatment plans.
However, building trust cannot be all talk without action. Both the NP and the physician must be reliable partners within their expectations by following through on their commitments. This is especially essential for NPs who are looking to gain more experience and autonomy. For example, if an NP provides consistent follow-up care that is efficient and effective with positive feedback from patients, the physician is more likely to trust them with more types of care.
It’s easy to trust each other when cases are going smoothly. But what about when times get tough? Patient care can be complicated, and mistakes or less-than-successful treatment plans can occur. NPs and physicians must understand that they are both responsible for their patients, so when complications arise, there is no reason to play The Blame Game. Instead, they should work past the obstacles by focusing on solutions together. By collaborating through the more stressful times, NPs and physicians will soon form a strong foundation of trust in their practice.
Continuing Education Together
A collaborative partnership that learns together stays together. One of the benefits of working with a physician is for an NP to expand their knowledge, but it’s an even more transformative experience to expand medical knowledge together.
Through training sessions, NPs and physicians will work on both their communication skills and their complementary skills to learn how to better support each other. There are multiple types of joint training sessions to take advantage of for continuing education.
- Practice in Simulations: NPs and physicians can participate in clinical simulations by addressing realistic cases, and improving teamwork and decision-making skills along the way.
- Interprofessional Collaboration: While both sides of the partnership may work their hardest to communicate efficiently, there are always new tips and skills to learn. Training in collaboration can enhance the already-present communication skills with conflict resolution.
- New Protocols: As the clinic grows, it’s possible that new protocols will need to be put into place. With new protocols, or even technologies if they are involved, both NPs and physicians can attend relevant training sessions to align how they can implement these protocols.
Strengthening Collaboration
Establishing clear roles and responsibilities is a requirement for a successful NP-physician collaborative practice. Building trust through consistent communication, follow-through, and mutual accountability strengthens the partnership, especially when navigating challenges. By engaging in joint continuing education and training, NPs and physicians not only enhance their clinical skills but also foster deeper collaboration for a more unified approach to high-quality care.
