Exploring residents' perceptions of PA and NP roles and barriers to collaboration

Abstract

Objective: Developing competencies for interprofessional collaboration, including understanding other professionals' roles on interprofessional teams, is an essential component of medical education. This study explored resident physicians' perceptions of the clinical roles and responsibilities of physician assistants (PAs) and NPs in the clinical learning environment. Methods: Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 residents in one academic setting. Transcripts were analyzed using an iterative approach to inductive coding. Results: Participants typically perceived PAs' and NPs' roles as being "like a resident," less commonly as independent clinicians, and rarely as collaborators. Barriers to understanding PA and NP roles and perceiving them as collaborators included the lack of preparatory instruction about PAs and NPs, the hierarchical structure of medical education, and inadequate role modeling of interprofessional collaboration. Conclusions: This study suggests that barriers in the clinical learning environment and the structure of medical education itself may impede residents' learning about PAs and NPs and how to collaborate with them.

Exploring Professional Anticipatory Socialization: Who Are the Messengers Influencing Future Physicians' Perceptions of Advanced Practice Providers?

“…9 Given the often overlapping roles and responsibilities of PAs and NPs and the difficulty that physicians may have distinguishing PAs and NPs in the same setting, we elected to study these two professions collectively. 3 One researcher (M.N.P.) conducted interviews from November 2018 through March 2019.…”

“…1,2 However, recent studies have suggested that physicians have a limited understanding of other professions, a barrier to effective interprofessional practice. 3,4 Professional socialization is the process by which students learn about their profession's norms, values, and responsibilities through various forms of interaction with members of their profession. This professional socialization process may also contribute to one's understanding of other health care professions, leading to either a perception of one's profession as different and potentially better than other professionals or a more inclusive perception of one's profession as part of a broader health care team.…”

“…1,2 However, recent studies have suggested that physicians have a limited understanding of other professions, a barrier to effective interprofessional practice. 3,4…”

Exploring nurses' role in guiding residents' workplace learning: A mixed‐method study

“…We have chosen to incorporate both perspectives as research has pointed out that might have difficulty valuing and accepting the role of nurses in their learning. 20,25,26 We therefore pose the following questions: (i) To what extent do residents' and nurses' perceptions align regarding the guiding role of nurses during residents' workplace learning? and (ii) which reasons provide nurses and residents for their perceptions regarding the guiding role of nurses during residents' workplace learning?…”

“…In this study, we set out to explore the extent to which the interactions between nurses and residents are perceived as guidance from the perspective of both residents and nurses. We have chosen to incorporate both perspectives as research has pointed out that might have difficulty valuing and accepting the role of nurses in their learning 20,25,26 . We therefore pose the following questions: (i) To what extent do residents' and nurses' perceptions align regarding the guiding role of nurses during residents' workplace learning?…”