Veterinary nurses report good interprofessional collaboration with veterinarians, as measured by the Nurse-Physician Collaboration Scale.

Veterinary nurse-veterinarian collaboration is good but requires improved communication and shared decision-making.

This cross-sectional study evaluated interprofessional collaboration between veterinary nurses and veterinarians using the Nurse-Physician Collaboration Scale adapted for veterinary settings. A total of 835 registered and student veterinary nurses completed an online survey measuring three collaborative behavior constructs: joint decision making (JDM), cooperativeness (C), and sharing patient information (SPI). Median scores across all constructs ranged from 2-2 on a scale where higher values indicate better collaboration, with interquartile ranges of 1-3. Veterinary nurses self-reported collaboration as either 'good' or 'mixed' based on median item scores. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that both professional role and practice type were significantly associated with reported collaboration quality across all three behavior constructs. While results indicate generally good collaboration between these professional groups, the authors identified opportunities for improvement in all measured domains. The study acknowledged a limitation in not capturing veterinarian perspectives for comparative analysis. The researchers recommend targeted efforts to enhance communication and create increased opportunities for mutual participation in patient care decision-making processes within veterinary teams.

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