chapter 2: the interprofessional team

Interprofessional team

A group of health care professionals from different disciplines who work together to provide comprehensive care to clients.

Interprofessional collaboration

Health care professionals from different disciplines communicating and working together to achieve positive client outcomes.

Scope of practice

The activities and responsibilities a health care professional is legally educated, trained, and authorized to perform.

Referral

The process of requesting the assistance or expertise of another health care professional to meet a client's specific needs.

Care coordination

Organizing and coordinating the services provided by different health care professionals to meet a client's needs.

Registered Nurse (RN)

A licensed nurse who assesses clients, establishes nursing diagnoses, develops goals and interventions, evaluates outcomes, coordinates care, provides education, and makes referrals.

Practical Nurse (PN/LPN/LVN)

A licensed nurse who provides nursing care within their scope of practice, works under RN supervision as required, and participates in the nursing process.

Assistive Personnel (AP)

Unlicensed health care workers who perform specific client-care tasks within their education, training, and competency under appropriate supervision.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Assistive personnel trained to provide basic client care such as bathing, grooming, toileting, feeding, positioning, ambulation, and measuring vital signs.

Nurse Practice Act

State law that defines the legal scope of nursing practice and establishes requirements for nursing licensure and practice.

Provider

A health care professional who assesses, diagnoses, and treats disease and injury; examples include physicians and physician assistants.

Physical Therapist (PT)

A health care professional who assesses and treats problems involving mobility, movement, strength, and musculoskeletal function.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

A health care professional who helps clients regain or improve their ability to perform activities of daily living and other functional activities.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

Basic self-care activities necessary for daily functioning, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, toileting, and transferring.

Respiratory Therapist

A health care professional who evaluates respiratory status and provides respiratory treatments such as oxygen therapy, inhalation therapy, chest physiotherapy, and mechanical ventilation.

Pharmacist

A health care professional who provides, monitors, and evaluates medications and helps identify medication-related problems and interactions.

Registered Dietitian

A health care professional who assesses nutritional needs, plans diets, designs special diets, and provides nutrition education.

Laboratory Technician

A health care worker who obtains specimens and performs laboratory diagnostic tests.

Radiologic Technologist

A health care professional who positions clients and performs x-rays and other diagnostic imaging procedures.

Speech-Language Pathologist

A health care professional who evaluates and treats problems involving speech, language, communication, and swallowing.

Social Worker

A professional who helps clients and families address psychosocial and environmental needs and connect with community resources.

Spiritual Support Staff

Health care team members, such as chaplains or clergy, who provide spiritual and religious support to clients and families.

Advanced Practice Nurse (APN/APRN)

A nurse with advanced education, specialized clinical preparation, advanced pharmacology and physical assessment education, and specialty certification.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

An advanced practice nurse who specializes in a particular clinical practice setting or specialty area.

Nurse Practitioner (NP)

An advanced practice nurse who collaborates with providers to provide nonemergency primary health care in a variety of settings.

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

An advanced practice nurse who administers anesthesia and provides care during procedures.

Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)

An advanced practice nurse who provides care to maternal-newborn clients and their families.

Nurse Educator

A nurse who teaches nursing students, health care staff, or clients in educational or health care settings.

Nurse Administrator

A nurse who provides leadership and management to nursing departments within a health care facility.

Nurse Researcher

A nurse who conducts research primarily to improve the quality and effectiveness of client care.

Nursing assessment

The systematic collection of information about a client's physical, psychological, social, cultural, and other health needs.

Nursing diagnosis

A clinical judgment about a client's response to an actual or potential health problem that nurses can address through nursing interventions.

Nursing intervention

An action performed by a nurse to prevent or treat a health problem and help achieve a client's goals.

Client outcome

A measurable result or change expected to occur as a result of nursing care.

Evaluation

The process of determining whether nursing interventions were effective and whether the client's expected outcomes were achieved.

Advocacy

Supporting and protecting a client's rights, needs, preferences, and interests.

Delegation

The process of assigning an appropriate nursing task to another qualified individual while the nurse maintains accountability for the overall nursing care.

Continuity of care

The consistent and coordinated provision of care as a client moves between health care professionals, settings, or stages of illness.

Physical Therapist = Mobility

Assesses and improves movement, strength, mobility, and musculoskeletal function.

Occupational Therapist = ADLs

Helps clients perform activities of daily living and regain functional independence.

Speech-Language Pathologist = Speech + Swallowing

Evaluates speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders.

Respiratory Therapist = Breathing

Evaluates respiratory status and provides oxygen, inhalation therapy, chest physiotherapy, and ventilation.

Pharmacist = Medications

Provides, monitors, and evaluates medications, including medication interactions.

Registered Dietitian = Nutrition

Assesses and plans for nutritional needs and special diets.

Social Worker = Resources

Helps with psychosocial needs, environmental needs, discharge planning, and community resources.

Radiologic Technologist = Imaging

Performs x-rays and other diagnostic imaging procedures.

Laboratory Technician = Specimens/Labs

Obtains specimens and performs laboratory diagnostic tests.

Spiritual Support = Spiritual Needs

Provides religious and spiritual support.

Provider = Diagnosis & Treatment

Assesses, diagnoses, and treats disease and injury.

RN = Assessment & Coordination

Assesses, establishes nursing diagnoses, plans care, evaluates outcomes, coordinates care, educates, and makes referrals.

PN = Licensed Nursing Care

Provides nursing care within the PN's scope of practice and works under RN supervision as required.

AP/CNA = Basic Care

Performs appropriate basic/direct care tasks within training and competency under supervision.