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.
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.).
PDSA cycle
Full Answer Section
I asked Dr. Smith if he thought an interdisciplinary approach could help to improve the coordination of care for his patients. He said that he thought it could be very helpful, but that it would require a lot of collaboration between different healthcare providers. He said that he would be willing to participate in an interdisciplinary team, but that he would need to see some evidence that it would be effective. Best Practices and Evidence for Interdisciplinary Care There is a growing body of evidence that supports the use of interdisciplinary care for patients with complex health needs. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that patients who received interdisciplinary care were more likely to have their care coordinated and to be satisfied with their care. They were also less likely to be readmitted to the hospital. Another study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that patients who received interdisciplinary care were more likely to have their chronic conditions under control. They were also less likely to experience complications from their conditions. These studies suggest that interdisciplinary care can be an effective way to improve the quality of care for patients with complex health needs. However, it is important to note that interdisciplinary care requires a lot of collaboration between different healthcare providers. This can be challenging, but it is essential for providing high-quality care. Using the PDSA Cycle to Improve Care Coordination The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle is a useful tool for improving care coordination. The PDSA cycle involves four steps:- Plan: Identify a problem and develop a plan to address it.
- Do: Implement the plan and collect data on the results.
- Study: Analyze the data and make changes to the plan as needed.
- Act: Implement the changes and continue to monitor the results.