Interprofessional Collaboration and Job Satisfaction in German Intensive Care Units: A Cross-Sectional Survey within the PRiVENT Project.

INTRODUCTION

The multicentre cluster-randomized PRiVENT study aims to improve weaning of long-term ventilated patients in German intensive care units via a complex interprofessional intervention. To assess perceptions on interprofessional collaboration and job satisfaction among different health professions, a survey was conducted in four clusters, each comprising one weaning centre and 7-12 cooperation hospitals.

METHODS

Three validated questionnaires were used to measure (a) interprofessional socialization (7-level Likert scale), (b) interprofessional collaboration (5-level), and (c) job satisfaction (7-level). Alongside a descriptive analysis, a subgroup analysis was performed comparing mean scores between physicians and non-physicians and the four clusters. Correlation coefficients were calculated to check for correlations of age group and work experience with interprofessional collaboration and job satisfaction.

RESULTS

Sixty-two questionnaires were returned by health workers of the intensive care units, corresponding to a response rate of 47%. Respondents rated interprofessional socialization (5.7 ± 0.6) and collaboration (3.8 ± 0.6) as good. Job satisfaction was high (5.1 ± 1.0), particularly regarding the collegial environment and variety of work tasks. Satisfaction with physical workload, income, and working hours was lower. Compared to physicians, overall ratings of non-physicians were lower, although the differences were not statistically significant, as were those between clusters. There was a statistically significant positive correlation of age group and work experience with overall job satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Health workers within PRiVENT are satisfied with their workplace conditions and rate interprofessional collaboration as good. Follow-up surveys will provide insights into the impact of PRiVENT on interprofessional cooperation and job satisfaction.