NURS 8200 Blog How Do You Practice Intra- and Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Practice

NURS 8200 Blog How Do You Practice Intra- and Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Practice

Using case studies in nursing education is a smart way to develop critical thinking skills. It also encourages collaboration among different healthcare disciplines. Students learn more about what these professionals do, and it sharpens their problem-solving abilities, which are crucial for their future careers. According to IPEC (2011) as mentioned in the National League of Nursing (2015), there’s a gap between the teamwork skills taught in educational programs and the reality of working in teams in healthcare. Case studies help bridge this gap by promoting deep learning and expanding students’ knowledge.

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Implementing case studies is effective for students who want to commit to learning and expand their knowledge base. Collaborating with professionals from various fields helps students understand the dynamics of each discipline, work as a team, and grasp the role each discipline plays in providing better patient care. This process builds respect, strong partnerships, and ultimately results in better health outcomes. As Barr (1998) cited in Henry et al. (2018) emphasizes, recognizing and respecting the roles of other professionals is crucial for effective interprofessional education.

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Professional collaboration involves a team of experts making decisions based on the unique needs of patients. Interprofessional case conferences, as described in the article, bring together professionals from different disciplines to analyze and problem-solve complex cases. This approach, as noted by Henry et al. (2018), challenges students to view problems from various perspectives, expanding their problem-solving skills. It’s a vital part of a nurse’s education because it broadens their understanding of comprehensive patient care.

My own experience with interdisciplinary collaboration started when I worked as a new nurse in an orthopedic unit. Every week, a team including the patient’s primary nurse, physician, referral partner (e.g., cardiologist or internist), social worker, dietitian, and charge nurse would gather for grand rounds. We discussed the patients and made decisions on their current and future care, including post-discharge plans. Collaboration was key to achieving faster recovery, shorter hospital stays, and better care after discharge, which ultimately prevented long-term complications, as Ansa et al. (2020) points out.

I remember that, in the beginning, I saw these rounds as just another task at work. However, when I became a charge nurse, I realized the significance of each role in the collaboration and how it directly affected our patients. This underscores the importance of case study design in education, as it prepares nurses for real-world collaboration.

In a professional setting, it could be beneficial to place nurses with a member of the interdisciplinary team on a weekly basis. This would give them a more personal understanding of each discipline and how they contribute to patient care. Moreover, involving a nurse and a team member in collaborative problem-solving for a patient’s care can result in a more focused approach. This approach benefits both the patient and the collaborative thinking between team members.