Initial psychometric properties of the provider-co-management index-RN to scale registered nurse-physician co-management: Implications for burnout, job satisfaction, and intention to leave current position.

Team-based care has become a cornerstone of care delivery to meet the demands of high-quality patient care. Yet, there is a lack of valid and reliable instruments to measure the effectiveness of co-management between clinician dyads, particularly physicians and registered nurses (RNs). The purpose of this study was to adapt an existing instrument, Provider Co-Management Index (PCMI), previously used among primary care providers into a new version to scale RN-physician co-management (called PCMI-RN). We also aimed to explore preliminary associations between RN-physician co-management and burnout, job satisfaction, and intention to leave current job. Face, cognitive, and content validity testing, using mixed methods approaches, were preceded by initial pilot testing (n = 122 physicians and nurses) in an acute care facility. The internal consistency reliability (α=.83) was high. One-quarter of participants reported burnout, 27% were dissatisfied with their job, and 20% reported intention to leave their job. There was a weak significant correlation between co-management and burnout (p = .010), and co-management and job satisfaction (p = .009), but not intention to leave current position. Construct validity testing is recommended. Future research using PCMI-RN may help to isolate factors that support or inhibit effective physician-nurse co-management.