Discussion Replies
I agree with you that the definition of an interdisciplinary team is not just limited to physicians, nurses and nursing assistants, but also encompasses dieticians, occupational and speech therapists among other health care team members. In your initial post, you highlight the importance of communication among the team members. I agree that communication is important for the team members, and has implications on the patient outcomes as it relates to the interchange of information between the team members (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2010).
Reply to Beth
This is a very good discussion post. In your initial discussion, you identify the factors that can affect the ability of an individual to think critically. Among these factors are feelings, emotions, confidence and anxiety (DeLaune & Ladner, 2010). However, I agree most with your assertion that communication is the most significant of these factors. This is not just because Rubenfeld & Scheffer (2010) highlight communication as a important influence of critical thinking on nurses, but also because I have experienced a situation where communication with a registered nurse helped boost my confidence and eliminate anxiety, thereby opening my mind up to think properly.
Reply to Beverly
I agree with you views that working within a multidisciplinary team, more so in nursing helps meet any deficiencies in care delivery, hence ensuring that the patient gets individualized care. Your views on the challenges that face the nursing profession are also refreshing. While you engage on the benefits of working in multidisciplinary teams, the benefits among which include the reduction of fragmented care and the ease in decision making because of the consultation opportunities, your initial post is also keen to identify the team dynamics as an impediment for success of working in multidisciplinary teams (Webb, 2011).
Reply to Kali
Reply to Penelope
I agree with your argument in your initial post that team thinking can positively influence patient outcomes. Why your post acknowledges the importance of the eight roles identified by Bensimon and Neumann (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2010), it also highlights two important roles in team thinking, the role of an analyst and a definer. I also agree with your assertions that effective communication is at the core of well functioning teams, and particularly laud your collaborative efforts in the example you outlined in the initial post. While all this is important, I found your emphasis on the significance of communication on the success of a team to be very important (Persily, 2013).
Reply to Beth
I agree with your assertion that the role of a definer helps outline the responsibilities of the various members of the nursing staff, in so doing, resulting in a clear definition of what is to be done on what shift. This prevents the overload of a certain shift with work that ought to be done in another shift. Your take on the importance of this role is not only practical, but appears to be based in experience.
Reply to Mary-Ski
References
DeLaune, S. & Ladner, P. (2010). Fundamentals of nursing. Boston. Cengage Learning
Finkelman, A. W., & Kenner, C. (2013). Professional nursing concepts: Competencies for quality leadership. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Ndoro, S., (2014). Effective multidisciplinary working: the key to high- quality care, British Journal of Nursing,23(13).
Persily, C. A. (2013). Team leadership and partnering in nursing and health care. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co.
Rubenfeld,M., & Scheffer, B., (2010). Critical Thinking Tactics for Nurses, Achieving the IOM Competencies, (2nd ed.), Sudbury, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers
Webb, L. (2011). Nursing: Communication skills in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
