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Differences in cost consciousness between physicians and nurses in German neonatal intensive care units
Author(s) -
Schmitz Hannah,
Martakis Kyriakos,
Roth Bernd,
Pfaff Holger,
Scholten Nadine
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.14479
Subject(s) - medicine , german , intensive care , consciousness , family medicine , medline , nursing , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , archaeology , history , philosophy , epistemology , political science , law
Aim This study assessed the cost consciousness of nurses and physicians in German neonatal intensive care units ( NICU s) and identified factors affecting cost consciousness. Methods This study on cost consciousness was part of the German Safety4 NICU study, a cross‐sectional survey conducted from 2015 to 2016. All 224 German NICU s were invited to take part in the survey, and written consent was obtained from the leading physicians and nurses. The various professions were addressed via specific questionnaires. The cost survey tool identified the participants' responsibility and their desired focus on cost consciousness. Results Of the 1406 nurses and 496 physicians from 84 NICU s, 64.4% of the nurses and 62.5% of the physicians agreed that they shared responsibility for controlling costs. The computed score to define the overall cost consciousness level was 4.47. We identified a significantly positive association between cost consciousness, longer total clinical work experience and a decreased number of NICU intensive care beds. Increased cost consciousness was found in both men and physicians. Other hospital characteristics did not have an effect. Conclusion Neonatology is a medical speciality where the tension between economics and the benefit of patients is extremely high. We found a moderate level of cost consciousness among NICU physicians and nurses.