Working Collaboratively not Competitively in Healthcare
Inter-professional collaboration in health care is essential to ensuring the delivery of safe, quality patient care. Collaboration refers to a group of individuals working cooperatively together toward a common goal.
My role as a Registered Nurse interfaces with several other health related disciplines including Physicians, Respiratory Therapists, Social Workers and Paramedics to name a few. In order to work successfully as a team inter-professional communication is key. In today's healthcare system there are numerous patient handoffs among multiple health care practitioners and critical information must be clearly communicated. Lack of communication creates situations where medical errors can occur.
There are several standardized communication tools available to help bridge communication gaps, ensure pertinent information is delivered and reduce risk of error. For example, at The Ottawa Hospital we use a technique known as SBAR (Situation-Background-Assessment-Reccomendation) during report or handover of care.
Patients healthcare needs are becoming more complex as our population continues to age and require the attention of multiple health care services. An inter-disciplinary approach to patient care helps foster joint discussion and decision making from all disciplines involved in the care plan. Working as part of an inter-disciplinary team ensures all members are "on the same page" as opposed to several professionals who don't know what the others are doing to manage the patient.
Patients and family members also find communication easier with a team that is cohesive instead of receiving mixed messages from all disciplines. This can cause confusion, frustration and lack of confidence in the healthcare system.
Creating a collaborative team environment takes work and does not come without its challenges. Some examples of barriers to inter-professional communication and collaboration can include personality differences, personal values, hierarchy, generational differences, gender, scheduling and time.
A great example of a team building exercise that I have participated in while working as a Registered Nurse in the Emergency Department are simulation sessions. Simulation sessions are a great opportunity to brush up on clinical skills, improve communication, and promote a team approach to patient care.
Ultimately, healthcare professionals need to keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Although we come from different training backgrounds and work in a variety of speciality areas, we all share one common value, to provide exceptional care and meet the needs of our patients and their families.
References
Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (cihc). (2010). A National Interprofessional Competency Framework. Retrieved from https://www.cihc.ca/files/CIHC_IPCompetencies_Feb1210.pdf
O'Daniel, M. & Rosenstein, A.H. (2008). Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Chapter 33, Professional Communication and Team Collaboration. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2637/
Lo, L. (2011). Canadian Patient Safety Institute. Teamwork and Communication in Healthcare. A Literature Review. Retrieved from http://www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca/en/toolsResources/teamworkCommunication/Documents/Canadian%20Framework%20for%20Teamwork%20and%20Communications%20Lit%20Review.pdf