create a 2–4 page report on an interview you have conducted with a health care professional. You will identify an issue from the interview that could be improved with an interdisciplinary approach, and review best practices and evidence to address the issue.
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Introduction
As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, your participation and leadership in interdisciplinary teams will be vital to the health outcomes for your patients and organization. One way to approach designing an improvement project is to use the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement describes it thus:
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle is shorthand for testing a change in the real work setting—by planning it, trying it, observing the results, and acting on what is learned. This is the scientific method adapted for action-oriented learning…Essentially, the PDSA cycle helps you test out change ideas on a smaller scale before evaluating the results and making adjustments before potentially launching into a somewhat larger scale project (n.d.).
You might also recognize that the PDSA cycle resembles the nursing process. The benefit of gaining experience with this model of project design is that it provides nurses with an opportunity to ideate and lead improvements. For this assessment, you will not be implementing all of the PDSA cycle. Instead, you are being asked to interview a health care professional of your choice to determine what kind of interdisciplinary problem he or she is experiencing or has experienced in the workplace. This interview, in Assessment 2, will inform the research that you will conduct to propose a plan for interdisciplinary collaboration in Assessment 3.
It would be an excellent choice to complete the PDSA Cycle activity prior to developing the report. The activity consists of four questions that create the opportunity to check your understanding of best practices related to each stage of the PDSA cycle. The information gained from completing this formative will promote your success with the Interview and Interdisciplinary Issue Identification report. This will take just a few minutes of your time and is not graded.
Competency 2: Explain how interdisciplinary collaboration can be used to achieve desired patient and systems outcomes.
Summarize an interview focused on past or current issues at a health care organization.
Describe collaboration approaches from the literature that could be relevant in establishing or improving an interdisciplinary team to address an organizational issue.
Competency 3: Describe ways to incorporate evidence-based practice within an interdisciplinary team.
Identify an issue from an interview for which an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach would be appropriate.
Competency 4: Explain how change management theories and leadership strategies can enable interdisciplinary teams to achieve specific organizational goals.
Describe change theories and a leadership strategy that could help develop an interdisciplinary solution to an organizational issue.
Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly, evidence-based communication strategies to impact patient, interdisciplinary team, and systems outcomes.
Full Answer Section
Interview Summary
The interviewee was [Name of Healthcare Professional], a [Position] at [Hospital/Clinic Name]. During the conversation, [Name of Healthcare Professional] identified several challenges they faced in their daily practice. One recurring issue was the lack of effective communication and collaboration between nurses and physicians regarding patient care plans. This communication gap often led to delays in treatment, inconsistencies in patient care, and increased frustration among both healthcare professionals and patients.
Interdisciplinary Issue Identification
The identified communication gap between nurses and physicians represents a significant interdisciplinary issue within the healthcare organization. This lack of collaboration can negatively impact patient care in several ways:
- Delayed diagnoses and treatment: Without clear communication between nurses and physicians, vital information about patient status and changes may not be shared promptly, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
- Inconsistencies in care: Disjointed communication can lead to inconsistencies in patient care plans, resulting in conflicting instructions and potential harm to patients.
- Increased frustration and burnout: The communication gap can create tension and frustration among both nurses and physicians, leading to burnout and decreased job satisfaction.
Literature Review: Best Practices for Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Several evidence-based practices and best practices from the literature can be applied to establish or improve interdisciplinary collaboration in the healthcare setting:
- Shared care plans: Implementing a standardized format for shared care plans that outline patient goals, treatment plans, and communication protocols can facilitate seamless information exchange between nurses and physicians.
- Interprofessional rounds: Regular interprofessional rounds, where nurses and physicians jointly review patient cases and discuss treatment plans, can enhance communication and collaboration.
- Co-location: Strategically arranging the workspace to promote physical proximity between nurses and physicians can facilitate informal communication and collaboration.
- Shared electronic health records (EHRs): Utilizing a comprehensive EHR system that allows real-time access to patient information for all healthcare professionals can eliminate communication gaps and ensure consistent information dissemination.
- Teamwork training: Providing interdisciplinary team training workshops can equip healthcare professionals with the necessary skills and strategies to work effectively within diverse teams.
Change Management and Leadership Strategies
Implementing an interdisciplinary approach to address the communication gap requires a well-planned change management process and effective leadership strategies. The following approaches can be employed:
- Kotter's 8-Step Change Model: This model provides a structured framework for implementing change, guiding the organization through the process of establishing a sense of urgency, building a guiding coalition, creating a vision, and communicating the change effectively.
- Lewin's Change Management Model: This model focuses on unfreezing the current state, introducing the change, and refreezing the desired state. This model emphasizes the importance of managing resistance and creating a supportive environment for change to occur.
- Transformational Leadership: This leadership style emphasizes communication, collaboration, and shared vision. A transformational leader can inspire and motivate healthcare professionals to embrace interdisciplinary collaboration and work towards achieving common goals.
Conclusion
The communication gap between nurses and physicians identified through the interview represents a critical interdisciplinary issue within the healthcare organization. By incorporating the best practices and evidence-based approaches outlined in the literature, along with effective change management and leadership strategies, the organization can foster a collaborative culture that promotes effective communication, improves patient care outcomes, and enhances the work environment for healthcare professionals.