Evaluating Interprofessional Collaboration Between Nurses, Radiology Technicians, and Paramedics in Emergency Care at Primary Health Centers in Saudi Arabia
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Abstract
Effective interprofessional collaboration is essential for delivering coordinated, safe emergency care, but has not been extensively studied in Saudi primary care. This mixed methods study examined perceptions of nurse-radiology technician-paramedic teamwork in emergency services across 10 primary health centers (PHCs) in Najran region. Surveys assessed 100 nurses, 90 technicians, and 60 paramedics on attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration using validated scales. Additionally, 30 participants completed semi-structured interviews exploring benefits and challenges of cross-disciplinary teamwork. Though 89% of participants had overall positive attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration, certain domains like communication and conflict resolution showed lower scores. Interviews highlighted lack of emergency team training, role ambiguities, hierarchies, and communication gaps between nurses and paramedics as key barriers. At the same time, participants emphasized benefits of teamwork including integrated care and enhanced efficiency. Study results demonstrate that interprofessional team skills must be strengthened through collaborative education and protocols emphasizing shared leadership and open communication. Fostering effective emergency team collaboration can markedly enhance clinical outcomes and patient experiences.
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