The interplay of knowledge and decision making between nurses and doctors in critical care

This paper explores the complex interrelationships between knowledge and de cision making as nurses and doctors interacted with each other in a critica l care unit, which comprised a combined general intensive care and cardioth oracic surgical unit. The critical ethnographic study upon which this paper is based, involved a research group of six nurses who worked in the unit. Nurses differentially valued their knowledge, depending on the situation, e xperience and level of medical input. They were also involved in decision m aking based on their differential visibility in the process. Nurses' specia lised knowledge of the critical care unit played a major role in influencin g how they interacted during decision making. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.