Abstract
Poor communication between physicians and nurses is one of the most common causes of adverse events for hospitalized patients and a major root cause of sentinel events. Physician and nurse perspectives on what constitutes good communication differ. This article describes sensemaking as a cognitive process that builds consensus by getting nurses and physicians to answer these questions: What is happening here? What should we do about it? Sensemaking goes beyond communication, requiring that diverse opinions are brought to bear on a situation framed by salient cues.