Interprofessional Healthcare: Roles, Collaboration, and Conflict Resolution

What is the primary goal of collaborative health care?

To improve the health of the individual through patient-centered interdisciplinary collaboration.

What are the recommendations from The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action?

1. Expand accessibility to healthcare 2. Promote collaboration & teamwork 3. Encourage nursing roles in leadership 4. Nurses need to be highly educated 5. Increased diversity in nursing 6. Collect and act on workforce data.

List some members of an interprofessional healthcare team.

Nurses, Physicians, Pharmacists, Respiratory Therapists, Dieticians, Social Workers, Physical Therapists, Speech Therapists, Occupational Health Therapists, Community Health Workers.

Nurses all roles

Setting priorities for the coordination of client care

Physician role

Assesses, diagnoses, and treats disease and injury.

Pharmacist Role

Provides, monitors, and evaluates medication

Respiratory Therapist Role

Evaluates respiratory status and provides respiratory treatment

Dietitian Role

Assesses, plans for, and educates regarding nutrition needs.

Social Worker Role

Works with clients and families by coordinating inpatient and community

resources to meet psychosocial and environmental needs that are necessary

for recovery and discharge

Physical Therapist Role

Assesses and plans for clients to increase musculoskeletal

function

Speech Therapist Role

Assesses patients when they have problems swallowing, speech,

and language

Occupational Therapist Role

Assesses and plans for clients

to regain activities of daily living skills.

What are the benefits of interprofessional teams?

Improved coordination of care, more efficient referrals, better community health services, and better outcomes with decreased adverse events.

What are common barriers to interprofessional collaboration?

Miscommunication, distrust, lack of respect among provider types, different levels of perceived importance, and misunderstanding of each other's roles.

What are the four areas addressed by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competency?

1. Values and ethics for interprofessional practice 2. Roles and responsibilities 3. Interprofessional communication 4. Teams and teamwork.

Why did the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) develop a core competency?

To provide structure to teamwork to accomplish client-centered care.

What entry-level competencies must RNs demonstrate according to NCSBN?

1. Nursing knowledge and confidence 2. Knowledge of nursing roles, responsibilities, and functions of a nurse 3. Recognition of limitations and seeking support of validation of decisions as needed.

What are key teamwork skills necessary in healthcare?

Teamwork structure, effective communication, effective leadership strategies, situation monitoring, and mutual support.

What is a referral?

When one professional requests another HCP to manage a patient

What is a consultation?

Request for input from another HCP on managing a patient situation.

When does discharge planning begin?

At the time of admission.

Why do effective, efficient, and timely discharges need to be done?

To decrease a patient's length of stay

What does insurance pay based on?

Diagnosis-related group

What is the length a person can be considered readmitted?

30-90 days

Whose order is needed for a patient to be discharged?

Healthcare provider (HCP)

What are the components of discharge planning?

Disposition, medications, diet, other therapies, activity level, follow-up appointments, and when to call for assistance.

What types of conflict can occur in healthcare settings?

Conflict can occur between individuals, teams, departments, or professional groups.

What behaviors characterize incivility and bullying in healthcare?

Aggressive language, refusal to help, gossip, rude remarks, yelling, and may include physical contact.

What is the aim of conflict resolution in healthcare?

To work together effectively rather than to defeat the other party.

What are some strategies for conflict resolution?

Compromise, Win-Win, Withdrawal, and cognitive rehearsal.

Cognitive Rehearsal

Use of simulation to teach conflict resolution

How can collaboration be promoted in healthcare?

By supporting a healthy work environment with mutual respect, open communication, a zero tolerance policy, accountability, and support for whistleblowers.