The Longitudinal Effects of a Third-party Intervention: 14 Years of Sustainable Change

This study extends previous research on third-party consultation interventions by exploring trust and other variables that facilitate conflict resolution while examining several outcomes over time. Data for this 14-year study in an operating room came from self-reports by the participants, behavioral observations by hospital administrators, and hospital records. Results include statistically significant improvement in trust measures, individual and group effectiveness, increased availability of surgical supplies and equipment, reduced physician abuse of scheduling privileges, decreased verbal abuse of nurses by physicians, the elimination of nursing turnover, and a decision by the surgeons to not build an outpatient surgical center.