Blog: INTRA- AND INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION
Imagine that you are a DNP-prepared nurse responsible for overseeing a large intensive care unit (ICU). You have noticed that in the past three months, the number of nosocomial, or hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), has dramatically increased among patients who have undergone cardiovascular procedures. You would like to initiate a practice study to determine the source of these HAIs and to improve patient outcomes in your ICU.
What types of intra- and interdisciplinary collaboration might be needed to support the goals of this practice study?
One example of intra-disciplinary collaboration is that you might meet with the nursing manager in charge of your unit and ask to set up a brainstorming session with the nurses on the unit to explore their perceptions of why the HAIs have increased among patients who have undergone cardiovascular procedures. An example of interdisciplinary collaboration is that you might team up with an infection prevention specialist (who may be a PhD-prepared nurse or PhD-credentialed healthcare professional) who can address the problem from an alternative perspective. These are just two of many potential intra- and interprofessional collaborations that may take place in an advanced nursing practice situation like this. Keep in mind that when intra- and interprofessional colleagues work together toward a shared, patient-centric goal, both the quality and cost of the care delivered will be optimized (Johnson & Johnson, 2016). Reference: Johnson & Johnson. (2023, September 10). Nursing: The importance of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. https://nursing.jnj.com/getting-real-nursing-today/the-importance-of-interprofessional-collaboration-in-healthcare
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity. Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
WEEKLY RESOURCES
· Document: Nursing Communities of Practice Template Download Nursing Communities of Practice Template(PDF)
· Africa, L., Frantz, J. M., & Mlenzana, N. B. (2023). Activities to promote interprofessional practice at primary healthcare level: A systematic reviewLinks to an external site.. Social and Health Sciences, Article 12130. https://doi.org/10.25159/2957-3645/12130
· American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing educationLinks to an external site. . https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Publications/Essentials-2021.pdf
· American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (n.d.). T he essentials: Domain 6: Interprofessional partnershipsLinks to an external site. . https://www.aacnnursing.org/essentials/tool-kit/domains-concepts/interprofessional-partnerships
· Bradley, C., & Bleich, M. (2024). The DNP graduate and the potential to advance nursing: An interview with thought leader Michael Bleich, PhD, RN, FAAN, by Carol Bradley, MSN, RN, FAONLLinks to an external site.. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 48(1), 80–82. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000621
· Interprofessional Education Collaborative. (2023, November 20). IPEC core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: Version 3Links to an external site. . https://ipec.memberclicks.net/assets/core-competencies/IPEC_Core_Competencies_Version_3_2023.pdf
· Healthy People 2030. (n.d.). Healthy people in actionLinks to an external site. . https://health.gov/healthypeople/tools-action/healthy-people-in-action
· Ho, J. T., See, M. T. A., Tan, A. J. Q., Levett-Jones, T., Lau, T. C., Zhou, W., & Liaw, S. Y. (2023). Healthcare professionals’ experiences of interprofessional collaboration in patient education: A systematic reviewLinks to an external site.. Patient Education and Counseling, 113, Article 107965. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2023.107965
· King, R. J., Heisey-Grove, D. M., Garrett, N., Scott, K. A., Daley, M. F., Haemer, M. A., Podila, P., Block, J. P., Carton, T., Gregorowicz, A. J., Mork, K. P., Porter, R. M., Chudnov, D. L., Jellison, J., Kraus, E. M., Harrison, M. R., Sucosky, M. S., Armstrong, S., & Goodman, A. B. (2022). The childhood obesity data initiative: A case study in implementing clinical-community infrastructure enhancements to support health services research and public healthLinks to an external site.. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 28(2), E430–E440. https://doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000001419
· McLaney, E., Morassaei, S., Hughes, L., Davies, R., Campbell, M., & Di Prospero, L. (2022). A framework for interprofessional team collaboration in a hospital setting: Advancing team competencies and behavioursLinks to an external site.. Healthcare Management Forum, 35(2), 112–117. https://doi.org/10.1177/08404704211063584
· Merriam, D., Wiggs, C., Provencio, R., Goldschmidt, K., Bonnett, P., Valazza, V., Brodhead, J., Scardaville, D., & Stalter, A. (2022). Concept analysis of systems thinking in the context of interprofessional practice and improved patient outcomesLinks to an external site.. Nursing Education Perspectives, 43(4), E20–E25. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000951
· O’Leary, N., Salmon, N., O’Donnell, M., Murphy, S., & Mannion, J. (2023). Interprofessional education and practice guide: Profiling readiness for practice-based IPELinks to an external site.. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 37(1), 150–155. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2022.2038551
· Ruebling, I., Eggenberger, T., Frost, J. S., Gazenfried, E., Greer, A., Khalili, H., Ochs, J., Ronnebaum, J., & Stein, S. M. (2023). Interprofessional collaboration: A public policy healthcare transformation call for actionLinks to an external site.. Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, 33, Article 100675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjep.2023.100675
Communities of Practice Resources
· Adler, R. H., & Sickora, C. (2023). Research, practice and teaching united: Implementing AACN academic guidelines in a community based behavioral health settingLinks to an external site.. Journal of Professional Nursing, 49, 21–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2023.08.001
· Bekemeier, B., Kuehnert, P., Zahner, S. J., Johnson, K. H., Kaneshiro, J., & Swider, S. M. (2021). A critical gap: Advanced practice nurses focused on the public’s healthLinks to an external site.. Nursing Outlook, 69(5), 865–874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2021.03.023
· Corbo, S. A., & Flatekval, A. M. (2022). An academic-practice partnership to provide community vaccinationsLinks to an external site.. Nursing Management, 53(3), 36–42. https://www.doi.org/10.1097/01.NUMA.0000821704.29642.ee
· Goglio, K., Crespin-Mazet, F., Simon, L., Cohendet, P., & Wenger-Trayner, E. (2023). Managing with communities for innovation, agility, and resilienceLinks to an external site.. European Management Journal, 41(4), 534–539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2023.07.005
· Groff, A. (2023). Community of practice (CoP)Links to an external site.. Salem Press Encyclopedia. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=ers&AN=90558267&site=eds-live&scope=site&custid=s6527200
· Shirey, M. R., Bruck, M., Patton, E., Bowers, D., & Watts, P. I. (2022). COVID-19 telehealth fair partnership for capacity building in primary care nursing.Links to an external site. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 46(2), 113–124. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000517
· Truax, F. N., Low, J., Mochizuki, T., Asfaha, S., Nguyen, T. N., Carson, M., Katrak, S., Shah, N., & Nguyen, D. (2022). Latent tuberculosis infection testing and treatment at a federally qualified health center in Southern California: A quality improvement projectLinks to an external site.. J ournal of Nursing Care Quality, 37(2), 155–161. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000579
· UC Davis Health School of Medicine. (n.d.). Communities of practice: A toolkitLinks to an external site.. https://health.ucdavis.edu/workforce-diversity/What_We_Do/Communities-of-Practice/COPToolkit.html
To prepare:
· Review this week’s Learning Resources, paying special attention to the various strategies mentioned to foster intra- and interdisciplinary collaboration in nursing practice.
· Reflect on your own previous professional experiences with intra- and interdisciplinary collaboration.
· Consider the various intra- and interprofessional individuals and groups with whom you worked and the ways in which you interacted.
· Choose one specific challenge you faced and reflect on how you and your colleagues overcame it.
· Choose one specific opportunity you faced and reflect on how you and your colleagues embraced it.
Note: Be sure to review the grading rubric for this Blog so you fully understand what is expected of you. To access the rubric, click on the three dots that appear at the upper right of the Blog assignment page, then choose Show Rubric.
Address the following in your Blog entry:
· Describe one relevant professional experience you have had with intra- and interdisciplinary collaboration.
· Describe the various intra- and interprofessional individuals and groups with whom you worked and the ways in which you interacted.
· Describe one specific challenge you faced and explain how you and your colleagues overcame it. Be specific.
· Describe one opportunity you faced and explain how you and your colleagues embraced it. Be specific.
Respond to this Discussion post
T.H
I collaborate with the intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary team each shift I work. The interdisciplinary team has daily huddles to discuss each patient on the unit. We discuss the patient’s progress, planned discharge date, needs, and concerns. The huddles are beneficial because it allows the team to remain aware of any changes regarding the patient and improves communication between the patient and the team.
I have interacted with other nurses, on an intradisciplinary level, to discuss needed resources, duties, and to give and receive handoff report. I have also collaborated with the interdisciplinary team including the doctors, pharmacists, case management, social workers, dieticians, speech therapy, and physical therapy. I remain in constant contact with the physician to update them on the patient’s condition and request new orders if they are needed. The pharmacists are important as they clarify any orders that are entered and ensure that the dosage is appropriate for the patient. Case managers and social workers help to ensure that patient’s discharge needs are met, and that the patient has adequate resources. The dieticians help to determine the patient’s correct diet based upon their diagnosis, swallowing, and speaking capabilities. I have collaborated with the speech therapists to perform swallow and speech tests to determine how the patient can receive their scheduled medications. I have interacted with physical therapy by medicating my patients before therapy to alleviate their pain. Physical therapists are crucial to helping patients regain their strength and improving their ambulation.
I have faced a challenge due to frequent falls on the unit. To overcome this situation, the nurse manager implemented fall huddles for each shift to discuss what could have been done differently to prevent falls. We ensured that safety measures were in place and began to implement hourly rounding. The physicians and pharmacists collaborated to determine if the patient needed a lower dose of medication if it caused drowsiness or any other side effects that could lead to falling. Physical therapy was consulted to ensure that the patient could perform various tasks like ambulating to the restroom, could use the bedside commode independently, or if full assistance was needed. Through open communication, collaboration, and brainstorming, the interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary teams were able to reduce the number of falls that occurred on the unit.
I faced an opportunity focusing on discharging patients quickly and easily. My colleagues and I embraced it through teamwork and collaboration. Case management and social work ensured that the patient’s follow up appointments were scheduled. They also verified that the patient had safe housing and transportation in place to discharge. The physicians would input the discharge orders in early to prevent any delays. The pharmacists refilled the patient’s medications. Physical therapy provided the patient with exercises and scheduled appointments if needed. As the patient’s nurse, I printed out discharge instructions to review with the patient and answered any remaining questions. We were able to collaborate and work together to ensure that each patient could discharge safely home or to another facility according to their plan.
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