Quality of Nurse–Physician Communication in Two Saudi Arabian Hospitals: Nurses’ Perceptions and Educational Implications
Abstract
Introduction: High-quality nurse–physician communication is fundamental to patient safety, collaborative clinical practice, and effective healthcare delivery, and reflects competencies developed through professional education and clinical experience. Aim: This study assessed and compared nurses' perceptions of the quality of nurse–physician communication in two Saudi Arabian hospitals and examined factors associated with communication quality. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 756 nurses from Almoosa Specialist Hospital (ASH; n = 508) and Almoosa Rehabilitation Hospital (ARH; n = 248) using convenience sampling. Data were collected between March 9 and March 31, 2026, using the validated 18-item Nurse–Physician Communication Scale (NPCS), which measures four domains: openness, relevance and satisfaction, mutual understanding, and frustration with interaction. Analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Nurses perceived communication quality as moderate overall. Openness and relevance/satisfaction were strongest, whereas mutual understanding and frustration with interaction presented greatest challenges. ASH nurses reported significantly higher quality than ARH nurses in openness (p = .038), relevance/satisfaction (p < .001), and frustration with interaction (p = .031), but not mutual understanding (p = .472). Higher educational attainment and specific experience intervals were significantly associated with better communication quality. Clinical nurses demonstrated higher mutual understanding than those in supervisory roles. Conclusion: While nurses generally perceived communication positively, gaps remain in achieving mutual understanding and reducing interaction frustration. Communication quality reflects competencies that can be strengthened through targeted education, professional development, and setting-specific organizational strategies.