Interprofessional teams are best suited to dealing with complex dynamic and challenging medical issues. Through an interprofessional approach, expertise and perspectives may be exchanged by healthcare providers to achieve the common goal of improving one’s health and outcomes while effectively using resources (Wei et al., 2020). Interprofessional education (IPE) is a method of preparing healthcare professionals to work in interprofessional teams in the future. Interprofessional team members trained with an IPE approach are more likely to become engaged, collaborative members of a multidisciplinary team that respects and values each other. A healthcare provider training program that prepares healthcare professionals to work in such teams will help ensure the success of this model. The model promises better outcomes among patients. As a result of interprofessional education, members of different professions associated with the healthcare system can learn from each other. The IPE provides the opportunity for skill and knowledge sharing between disciplines and promotes a better understanding, a greater sense of shared values, and a greater sense of respect for the roles of other healthcare providers
In healthcare, interprofessional teamwork is defined as “collaboration and coordination between health care providers and clients to make health and social decisions.” It is characterized as a collaborative and decision-making process that allows group-based skills and knowledge to influence others (Reeves et al., 2018). As a part of teamwork, one must take on responsibilities, be accountable, coordinate, communicate, cooperate, assert herself, be autonomous, and respect every team member. To improve patient outcomes, such a team is formed to achieve shared goals. The goal of collaborative interactions is to improve patient care quality by sharing skills and knowledge. A professional must first understand who they are as an individual professional before understanding the role played by other professionals in the healthcare team. As a group becomes more effective, members must perceive their positions as necessary, communicate, be autonomous, and share resources equally. When interprofessional collaboration is ineffective, it can adversely impact patient care. Consequently, learning to work on an interprofessional team is key to providing high-quality care.
Evidence-based outcomes for interprofessional practice
The evidence for the influence of improved team function on health outcomes is becoming more compelling. If interdisciplinary team practice is crucial for healthcare reform, an evidence-based foundation linking the interprofessional collaborative approach (IPCP) with vastly enhanced healthcare outcomes is an absolute requirement. Lutfiyya et al. (2019) reviewed interprofessional collaboration studies that looked at results across numerous contexts, caders, and different study methodologies. Most studies found that interprofessional collaborative care and practice positively affected health outcomes such as blood pressure outcomes in hypertensive patients, A1c in diabetic patients, and pain control. Health coverage cost savings for chronically ill patients have been documented. Interprofessional practice and education, as a result, promote care collaboration and improve patient outcomes.
Following a critical review of a prevention program, several interprofessional Pressure Ulcer prevention strategies were developed and implemented (Fabbruzzo-Cota et al., 2016). The involvement of interdisciplinary collaboration and senior leadership, care facility inventory and substitute of support surfaces, formulation and deployment of the Pressure Ulcer prevention instructional bundle, obtaining funds and buying patient repositioning equipment, and legally required staff education were all critical components of the Pressure Ulcers prevention initiative. Reeves and colleagues (2017) compared an IPC intervention to standard care and discovered that peripherally facilitated interprofessional activities might slightly enhance functional ability in stroke patients. Interprofessional activities or externally enabled consultations may impact health professionals’ compliance to recommended practices. Therefore, interprofessional procedures, interprofessional guidelines, and externally facilitated rounds may optimize the use of medical resources mildly.
The Essential Components of Interprofessional Collaboration
In health care, certain elements have emerged as influencing team success. A clear purpose, a clear strategy in place, and clear communication and leadership are examples. Clarification of roles: A successful team relies on each member to perform their specific function. Teams in the healthcare system are doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and members who attend to the patient’s daily needs. Every expert contributes to the delivery of high-quality care, so a collaborative synergy is formed that meets the needs of patients. Although some team members or collaborators may take on leadership positions, everyone has something to offer.
It is natural for confidence to grow among teams that work together daily. The proximity and the contact between the members have created an environment that fosters mutual trust rather than undermines it. Interprofessionalism has been made more prominent and appreciated by exposure to other health care disciplines. Participants of interprofessional collaboration are more likely to develop a mutual understanding if they are aware of the functions of different professions and have firsthand experience with their capabilities. Team members must believe in their abilities to build team trust.
Collective leadership relieves pressure from a single individual and distributes it throughout the group. Leadership at the intersection of professions has been identified as one of the competencies for interprofessional education, and education in this area has been prioritized. Delivering health care involves a lot of difficulty and challenges, whether it’s dealing with complex patients or addressing staff shortages. The team’s true dignity is revealed in the face of adversity (Bosch & Mansell, 2015). When faced with a challenge, every member must stay faithful to patient care’s ultimate goal. Because adversity is something any team in any set – up will face at some point, it is critical that health care providers who work cooperatively become adept at dealing with it.
Barriers and Misperceptions Related to IPP
Understanding other disciplines is an essential step in working together. Because of a lack of collaboration throughout their respective education, many practitioners are incredibly ignorant of all the other health professions. Negative biases and naive perceptions of the responsibilities of other caregivers’ teams are common among providers. Teamwork in primary health care, in particular, involves a significant overlap of incompetencies. Each provider should be aware of the abilities of the other members.
Furthermore, the patient and their community and family have frequently been overlooked as part of the team. In collaboration, it is impossible to hold a single individual responsible for a patient’s care quality. Therefore, gaining the trust and respect of other team members is essential.
Another common impediment to interprofessional collaboration is the issue of “turf battles.” Identity, autonomy, and accountability are at the heart of these struggles over a profession’s power and scope. Several practices need to describe themselves, establish their standards, methods, and professionalism, and maintain sole control over their respective fields of expertise to pursue the autonomy principle. Professionalism also refers to analyzing and assessing the care standards and ensuring that they are adhered to. Loss of autonomy can lead to unfavourable changes in practice and loss of earnings. Their standards determine a professional’s course, and they are held accountable to others in their field for adhering to them. The collaboration incorporates performance review by colleagues from other professions, which a few may perceive as an intrusion into one’s professional domain. Finally, one’s individuality as a practitioner is heavily influenced by the authenticity of the profession as a whole. Interprofessional collaboration may impact individual providers’ identities by blurring the boundaries that describe the roles of various specialities.
Elevator Speech
A patient arrives at the emergency department with complaints of chest pains. An emergency doctor examines them, a cardiologist instructs tests and awaits radiological findings from the radiologist, confirming the doctors’ suspicions: the patient has a heart attack. After undergoing surgery, the patient spends a day in the intensive care unit; ICU nurses look after him then move to a cardiac department. The patient meets his rotating nursing staff during rounds. A hospitalist sees him every morning during his stay, as do a cardiologist and an endocrinologist, given his diabetes and COPD. Physical therapists, dieticians, and social workers might be involved depending on the patient’s recovery and lifestyle. Each person has valuable insights into the patient based on their unique perspective. They notice various symptoms and consider multiple possibilities. They have a more thorough, holistic picture of a patient when they work together.
In light of the global shortage of health care providers, policymakers are looking for innovative approaches to enhance global health workforce development. The improvement of health outcomes is made possible through the adoption of policies that incorporate health and education. Successful interprofessional learning and collaborative practice can be fostered through policies that integrate health and education.
References
Bosch, B., & Mansell, H. (2015). Interprofessional collaboration in health care: Lessons to be learned from competitive sports: Lessons to be learned from competitive sports. Revue Des Pharmaciens Du Canada [Canadian Pharmacists Journal], 148(4), 176–179. Web.
Fabbruzzo-Cota, C., Frecea, M., Kozell, K., Pere, K., Thompson, T., Tjan Thomas, J., & Wong, A. (2016). A clinical nurse specialist-led interprofessional quality improvement project to reduce hospital-acquired pressure Ulcers. Clinical Nurse Specialist CNS, 30(2), 110–116. Web.
Kutzin, J. M. (2019). Escape the room: Innovative approaches to interprofessional education. The Journal of Nursing Education, 58(8), 474–480. Web.
Lutfiyya, M. N., Chang, L. F., McGrath, C., Dana, C., & Lipsky, M. S. (2019). The state of interprofessional collaborative practice science: A scoping review of the patient health-related outcomes-based literature published between 2010 and 2018. PloS One, 14(6), e0218578. Web.
Reeves, S., Pelone, F., Harrison, R., Goldman, J., & Zwarenstein, M. (2017). Interprofessional collaboration to improve professional practise and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 6(8), CD000072. Web.
Reeves, S., Xyrichis, A., & Zwarenstein, M. (2018). Teamwork, collaboration, coordination, and networking: Why we need to distinguish between different types of interprofessional practice. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 32(1), 1–3. Web.
Wei, H., Corbett, R. W., Ray, J., & Wei, T. L. (2020). A culture of caring: the essence of interprofessional healthcare collaboration. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 34(3), 324–331. Web.