Registered Nurse Does Your Work Setting Foster

Registered Nurse

Does your work setting foster inter-disciplinary teamwork? Explain.

The environment that I work in is encouraging teamwork. This is because the registered nurse serves a vital role in increasing the quality of care for everyone. In our setting, all staff members are encouraged to speak up and share their ideas with others. This helps us to reduce critical errors and enhance treatment options. (Gerardi, 2004)

One of the tools that have been utilized in achieving these objectives is new technology. What has been happening is the facility is introducing various solutions in order to enhance collaboration (such as: electronic medical records). When this is used in conjunction with conflict resolution strategies, interdisciplinary team work improves. This is occurring by having procedures, polices and an environment that is pushing everyone to cooperate. (Gerardi, 2004)

The effects are that everybody on the health care team is working with each other to improve quality. This takes place through various staff members consistently communicating with one another. Moreover, there is an atmosphere that is supportive of these solutions. This is creating situations where there are tremendous amounts of focus on inter-disciplinary teamwork. Based on these factors, our work environment is conducive of these ideas. (Gerardi, 2004)

Respond to the authors' suggestion that "When individuals in the same or different disciplines communicate, conflict is inevitable. One's inability to handle conflict can hinder critical thinking CT and inter-disciplinary teamwork IDT work. Conflict creates anxiety, which prevents higher order thinking. The secret is not to try to eliminate conflict, but to use conflict to improve the effectiveness of teams. Strategies for improving your ability to use conflict constructively depend on confidence in your reasoning, flexibility, and intellectual integrity."

The author's observations are correct. This is because there will be conflict in any kind of health care environment. In many cases, the causes are tied to stress or differences of opinions. The key for reducing these issues is to have the reasoning, flexibility and the intellect to address them. This will establish a sense of trust and respect. In the future, these tools will allow everyone to more effectively work with each other. (Fox, 2008)

How do nurse practitioners and clinical nurse leaders fit into the concept of interdisciplinary care?

Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse leaders are serving as a go between for patients and the rest of the health care team. This is because these individuals will interact with patients more frequently and they have the experience to deal with a variety of situations. The way that they will fit into the concept of interdisciplinary care is to combine their roles, responsibilities and areas of specialization. (Puntillo, 2006)