Interdisciplinary Collaborative Care: Case Study

QUESTION

Think back to your most recent time in the clinical setting when another discipline (respiratory, physical therapy, nutrition, occupational therapy) was utilized.

Describe a form of interdisciplinary collaborative care you’ve seen on your current assigned clinical or work site. Then have a discussion about the following questions:

• Who coordinated that care? What was the nurse’s role in ascertaining that the care was provided?
• Was the patient’s outcome met? How or why not? What would you, a novice nurse-leader, have done differently to achieve the patient’s goals?

ANSWER

Interdisciplinary Collaborative Care: Case Study

During my recent clinical rotation in the medical-surgical unit, I had the opportunity to witness a form of interdisciplinary collaborative care involving respiratory therapy. The patient, a 60-year-old male with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), was admitted with an acute exacerbation of his respiratory symptoms.

Description of Collaborative Care

The interdisciplinary team involved in the patient’s care included nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapists. The care was coordinated by the primary care physician, who consulted the respiratory therapy team to manage the patient’s worsening respiratory distress. The respiratory therapist assessed the patient’s oxygen saturation, administered nebulized bronchodilators, and initiated non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) to improve oxygenation and ventilation.

Discussion

Coordination of Care: In this scenario, the physician took the lead in coordinating the patient’s care by recognizing the need for respiratory intervention and involving the respiratory therapy team. As a nurse, my role in ascertaining that the care was provided included continuous monitoring of the patient’s respiratory status, collaborating with the respiratory therapist to ensure proper administration of treatments, and assessing the patient’s response to interventions.

Patient’s Outcome: The patient’s outcome was successfully met, as evidenced by improvements in his oxygen saturation and respiratory distress. The use of NIPPV facilitated adequate ventilation, and the patient’s respiratory distress subsided over the course of the shift. The collaborative effort between the respiratory therapist and the nursing team played a crucial role in achieving this positive outcome.

Novice Nurse-Leader Approach: As a novice nurse-leader, I would have focused on enhancing communication and ensuring a smooth transition of care between shifts. I would have engaged in thorough hand-off communication with the incoming nursing team, emphasizing the patient’s response to respiratory interventions and the need for continued monitoring. Additionally, I would have taken the initiative to educate the patient and family about the importance of compliance with medications and respiratory treatments to prevent future exacerbations.

Conclusion

Interdisciplinary collaborative care, as demonstrated in this case, is essential for providing comprehensive and effective patient-centered care. Effective coordination among healthcare disciplines, with clear roles and communication, contributes to successful patient outcomes. As a nurse-leader, I would continue to prioritize open communication, education, and collaboration to optimize patient care outcomes.