Healthcare teams play an important role in nursing practice today. Teams provide the support necessary to assist nurses to practice within their scope and lead to empowerment. They bring collaboration of ideas and trust that promote nursing and patient empowerment. Empowered nurses and patients create positive patient outcomes. Two important types of healthcare teams are interdisciplinary and intradisciplinary.
Intradisciplinary teams refer to teams within the same profession. The profession of nursing has many intradisciplinary teams that when working together in harmony enhance the profession of nursing and the patient experience and safety. Nursing teams include direct care nurses, certified nursing assistants, charge nurses, nurse educators, advanced practice nurses, nursing management and clinical nurse leaders. Interdisciplinary teams refer to “people with distinct disciplinary training working together for a common purpose, as they make different, complementary contributions to patient focused care” (MaCallin, 2001, p. 419). A patient has contact many different disciplines in the healthcare setting. Physicians, nurses, pharmacist, social services, nutrition, physical therapy, pastoral care and many more contribute to patient care. Patient care has become highly complex and diverse. In addition, limited resources, advances in technology and research, staffing shortages and financial constraints have set the stage of the need for increased involvement of healthcare teams to promote patient-centered care. Since healthcare values and respects the patient’s dignity and autonomy, the patient should also be included as a member of the healthcare team. Effective collaboration and cooperation between teams is necessary in order to share information that leads to holistic treatment of the patient (O’Brien, Martin, Heyworth, & Meyer, 2008). For example, some institutions require bedside rounding of their interdisciplinary teams. Patients and their families receive critical information about their illness and choices. In turn, providers listen which allows patients to express their concerns and make decisions about their care delivery. In order for teams to reach a common goal of safe patient-centered care effective communication skills by all team members is essential. All team members, especially nurses, should be educated in communication skills that incorporate mutual respect, openness, listening, and safety (Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, & Switzler, 2002). Team members should be open and willing to share new ideas that contribute to reaching a mutual goal. Sharing is fostered in safe environments that value respecting each’s contribution and expertise. In this type of environment hierarchical systems should not be a factor and fear of punishment or belittling are not present. One way collaboration and communication can be enhanced is through the role of the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). CNL is a newly …show more content…
Institutions that support shared governance that include multiple disciplines provide an atmosphere of trust, autonomy, learning and engagement which reduce feelings of powerlessness (Hoying & Allen, 2011). Nurses feel empowered when they are part of the decision-making process in the delivery of their care. Multidisciplinary teams provide increased access to knowledge that nurses can pass on to the patient and each other enhancing patient engagement and leading to patient empowerment. Through leadership, support and mentoring, intradisciplinary teams of nurses provide the skills needed for nurses to grow in the profession. Laschinger and Smith (2013) conclude that empowered nurse leadership creates respectful and supportive relationships among nurses as a group and nurses within the interdisciplinary team increasing nurse …show more content…
Participation in teams allows for learning communication skills that can be used for patient advocacy and to deliver best patient outcomes. It can give a setting for assisting nurses in conflict resolution in ethical situations and holds nursing accountable for their actions. Enrolling nurses in educational programs that include knowledge of effective leadership, collaboration and communication skills supports nursing autonomy. For example, my institutions offers free educational classes in leadership and communication skills such as a course entitled Crucial Conversations.
When intra and interdisciplinary teams in a healthcare setting are functioning properly they can promote nursing and patient empowerment. This is accomplished through effective communication and collaboration that supports trusting relationships between providers and patients. Nursing leadership is crucial to ensuring that the profession of nursing is supported as a member of the healthcare team. They should acknowledge the need for increased education about effective participation within the teams to promote nursing empowerment. Empowered nurses advocate for themselves, their profession and their
Intradisciplinary teams refer to teams within the same profession. The profession of nursing has many intradisciplinary teams that when working together in harmony enhance the profession of nursing and the patient experience and safety. Nursing teams include direct care nurses, certified nursing assistants, charge nurses, nurse educators, advanced practice nurses, nursing management and clinical nurse leaders. Interdisciplinary teams refer to “people with distinct disciplinary training working together for a common purpose, as they make different, complementary contributions to patient focused care” (MaCallin, 2001, p. 419). A patient has contact many different disciplines in the healthcare setting. Physicians, nurses, pharmacist, social services, nutrition, physical therapy, pastoral care and many more contribute to patient care. Patient care has become highly complex and diverse. In addition, limited resources, advances in technology and research, staffing shortages and financial constraints have set the stage of the need for increased involvement of healthcare teams to promote patient-centered care. Since healthcare values and respects the patient’s dignity and autonomy, the patient should also be included as a member of the healthcare team. Effective collaboration and cooperation between teams is necessary in order to share information that leads to holistic treatment of the patient (O’Brien, Martin, Heyworth, & Meyer, 2008). For example, some institutions require bedside rounding of their interdisciplinary teams. Patients and their families receive critical information about their illness and choices. In turn, providers listen which allows patients to express their concerns and make decisions about their care delivery. In order for teams to reach a common goal of safe patient-centered care effective communication skills by all team members is essential. All team members, especially nurses, should be educated in communication skills that incorporate mutual respect, openness, listening, and safety (Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, & Switzler, 2002). Team members should be open and willing to share new ideas that contribute to reaching a mutual goal. Sharing is fostered in safe environments that value respecting each’s contribution and expertise. In this type of environment hierarchical systems should not be a factor and fear of punishment or belittling are not present. One way collaboration and communication can be enhanced is through the role of the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL). CNL is a newly …show more content…
Institutions that support shared governance that include multiple disciplines provide an atmosphere of trust, autonomy, learning and engagement which reduce feelings of powerlessness (Hoying & Allen, 2011). Nurses feel empowered when they are part of the decision-making process in the delivery of their care. Multidisciplinary teams provide increased access to knowledge that nurses can pass on to the patient and each other enhancing patient engagement and leading to patient empowerment. Through leadership, support and mentoring, intradisciplinary teams of nurses provide the skills needed for nurses to grow in the profession. Laschinger and Smith (2013) conclude that empowered nurse leadership creates respectful and supportive relationships among nurses as a group and nurses within the interdisciplinary team increasing nurse …show more content…
Participation in teams allows for learning communication skills that can be used for patient advocacy and to deliver best patient outcomes. It can give a setting for assisting nurses in conflict resolution in ethical situations and holds nursing accountable for their actions. Enrolling nurses in educational programs that include knowledge of effective leadership, collaboration and communication skills supports nursing autonomy. For example, my institutions offers free educational classes in leadership and communication skills such as a course entitled Crucial Conversations.
When intra and interdisciplinary teams in a healthcare setting are functioning properly they can promote nursing and patient empowerment. This is accomplished through effective communication and collaboration that supports trusting relationships between providers and patients. Nursing leadership is crucial to ensuring that the profession of nursing is supported as a member of the healthcare team. They should acknowledge the need for increased education about effective participation within the teams to promote nursing empowerment. Empowered nurses advocate for themselves, their profession and their