The role of physical design and informal communication

the sharing of information. These four questions were: “I feel well-informed about
the current activities on my unit” (X 2 =5.63; σ=1.19), “Nurses on my unit share
knowledge and expertise with one other” (X 2 =5.50; σ=1.20), “Nurses on my unit
often share their learning experiences” (X 2 =5.38; σ=1.06), and “There is
encouragement to learn new skills” (X 2 =5.38; σ=1.92). The question with the highest
mean rating, “Nurses on my unit are friendly and outgoing” (X 2 =6.00; σ=.93),
conflicts with a statement made by a nurse in a focused interview indicating that
many GNs express hesitation to work on 6N because of a reputation of poor
relationships among nursing staff.
A sentiment about the culture of 6N not reflected in the survey but revealed in
focused interviews was that it’s a very tense atmosphere due to the fast-paced nature
of the unit. One nurse elaborated:
“It’s very tense up here. It’s not easy to go with the flow.
Doctors and nurse practitioners expect so much from you. I think
it (the culture) makes you more likely to ask for information
because it’s so chaotic you don’t want to make a mistake.”
This quote may help to explain why the survey results indicated a culture highly
supportive of learning and sharing knowledge and expertise. Since the unit is so busy
and chaotic, presumably producing many opportunities to make a mistake, the nurses
guarded themselves from error by frequently asking questions and sharing
information to ensure that they’re doing the right thing.
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