{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T17:14:09Z","timestamp":1790010849074,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]],"date-time":"2026-09-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789689600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nurs. Rep.","Nursing Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) between physicians and registered nurses (RNs) is essential for managing increasingly complex patient care. Although IPC is associated with improved coordination and patient outcomes, hierarchical dynamics and organisational constraints may limit RNs\u2019 meaningful participation. This study explored physicians\u2019 perceptions of RNs\u2019 professional roles and contributions within IPC in hospital settings. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used nine semi-structured focus group interviews with 42 physicians from medical units across three university hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark, recruited through convenience sampling. Interviews focused on everyday collaborative practices, including interprofessional meetings and ward rounds. Data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Results: Physicians\u2019 accounts of IPC with RNs were captured in four themes: RNs\u2019 contributions are central to IPC; Cultural conditions enabling IPC; Misaligned workflows and competing responsibilities shaping IPC; and Clinical partnership and expectations of support in IPC. Conclusions: From the participating physicians\u2019 perspectives, IPC was shaped by RNs\u2019 experience, relational culture, and organisational conditions. Physicians described relying particularly on RNs\u2019 sharing of information and clinical assessments that they considered important for safe and coordinated care, which they perceived as reflective of RNs\u2019 experience. However, they perceived organisational constraints as limiting the integration of nursing perspectives into decision-making. These findings indicate areas for further investigation and potential organisational development related to RNs\u2019 participation in IPC.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nursrep16090340","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T16:06:51Z","timestamp":1790006811000},"page":"340","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Structural Barriers and Cultural Bridges: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Physicians\u2019 Perspectives on Interprofessional Collaboration with Registered Nurses"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Signe","family":"Eekholm","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Unit for Clinical Nursing, Department of Internal Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte, 2900 Gentofte, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-1327-9471","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marie-Louise","family":"Strandberg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care, Amager Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-5205-2134","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Line Risberg","family":"Hartvigsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Unit for Clinical Nursing, Department of Internal Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte, 2900 Gentofte, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-8465-4017","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Julie","family":"Grubbe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Unit for Clinical Nursing, Department of Internal Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte, 2900 Gentofte, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-8463-0545","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Silvia Loua","family":"Henriksen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Unit for Clinical Nursing, Department of Internal Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte, 2900 Gentofte, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dorthe","family":"Bauer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte, 2900 Gentofte, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sidse Breer Schultz","family":"Volden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care, Amager Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Camilla Elmig","family":"Feuerlein","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte, 2900 Gentofte, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0342-017X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ingrid","family":"Poulsen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark"},{"name":"Department of Clinical Research, Amager Hvidovre Hospital, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1080\/13561820.2019.1702515","article-title":"Interprofessional collaboration in hospitals: A critical, broad-based review of the literature","volume":"34","author":"Pomare","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. 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