Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Job Satisfaction Among Doctors and Nurses in Greek Public Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Effective collaboration between doctors and nurses is linked to better staff morale and patient outcomes. However, nurses often perceive teamwork as poorer than doctors do. In Greek public hospitals, resource constraints make such collaboration critical, yet data are limited. This study examined doctor-nurse collaboration and job satisfaction in Greece and how they relate.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 113 doctors and 188 nurses (n = 301) in six Greek public hospitals. Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire including a physician-nurse collaboration scale (CCPNQ) and a job satisfaction scale (KUHJSS), along with demographics and years of experience. Group differences were analyzed with t-tests, and correlations and multiple linear regression were used to assess associations between collaboration, satisfaction, and tenure.

RESULTS

Nurses rated collaboration quality significantly lower than doctors (mean score 3.66 ± 0.55 vs. 3.85 ± 0.54, p = 0.004), but reported higher job satisfaction (3.78 ± 0.72 vs. 3.45 ± 0.64, p = 0.007). Collaboration scores were moderately correlated with job satisfaction for both nurses (r = +0.558, p < 0.001) and doctors (r = +0.495, p < 0.001). Among nurses, years of service correlated negatively with satisfaction (r = -0.498, p < 0.001), indicating lower satisfaction in more experienced nurses; no such trend appeared for doctors. In regression analysis, collaboration remained a strong independent predictor of higher job satisfaction (p < 0.001) when controlling for profession and experience, while longer tenure predicted lower satisfaction primarily among nurses.

CONCLUSION

Strong interdisciplinary collaboration was closely linked to higher job satisfaction for both nurses and doctors. However, nurses' poorer perceptions of collaboration and the drop in satisfaction among veteran nurses highlight areas for improvement. Interventions to enhance doctor-nurse communication, teamwork, and shared decision-making could improve job satisfaction and help retain experienced staff. Fostering a collaborative culture in Greek hospitals may benefit healthcare providers' well-being and, ultimately, patient care.