Inter professional cooperation among healthcare providers.

1. 1
(IPEC) Interprofessional Education Collaborative
Option 2
Shaukat Soofi
School of Nursing, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
NUR 701, Professional Role Development for Advanced Practice Nurses
Professor Danielle Yocom
December 4, 2022

2. 2
(IPEC) Interprofessional Education Collaborative
Option 2
This paper aims to explain the benefits of healthcare professionals from multidisciplinary
backgrounds in providing quality care for their patients by working together. Option 2 is a case study of a
patient Jessica Lacey who is a new mother with a poor support system and is anxious about her role as a
new mother for her son Caleb. The case study will shed light on the effectiveness of teamwork via
collaboration of an interprofessional network of providers as opposed to a sole provider with limited
resources.
According to Huber (2022), collaboration is the process through which two or more individuals
join to accomplish a common objective by combining their abilities, knowledge, skills, and perspectives.
Cooperation develops respect and empathy for the contributions of others. It also fosters a sense of
confidence and support among workers and increases productivity (Tracy & O'Grady, 2019a). Through
collaboration, various healthcare professionals can combine their experiences and knowledge to manage a
problem that can be otherwise challenging (Tracy & O'Grady, 2019a).
In this case study, the nurse practitioner talked with a patient, Jessica lacey, a new mother, and
asked about her general health and any issues related to breastfeeding her baby, Caleb Lacey. During
Jessica’s initial visit, she expressed anxiety and difficulty breastfeeding her son Caleb. She complained of
bleeding gums and presented with feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. After the first talk, Jessica
returned to the hospital with the same problem; according to her, nothing had improved. Jessica’s
healthcare needs could be managed efficiently and effectively through collaboration with various
healthcare professionals. A single healthcare practitioner may fail to identify and understand the patient’s
needs, thus requiring the help of colleagues in other interdisciplinary healthcare fields. The healthcare
provider caring for Jessica may not have the expertise or resources to help Jessica and her son Caleb meet
all their needs.
Thus, the experience between the healthcare professional and Jessica can improve if a team of
professional healthcare specialists collaborates to help her in her care. The collaborating partners can

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share their experiences, improve Jessica’s and Caleb’s overall well-being via knowledge sharing, and
bring various resources and solutions that will help Jessica deal with her anxiety related to her inability to
cope with life stressors, challenges with breastfeeding, socioeconomic support, mental health, and
substance abuse counseling, and bleeding gum/dental health. The presence of different healthcare
professionals with varying specialties and expertise might help change her perspective by bringing in
more insights. In this case, Jessica would benefit from a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD
(Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine), also known as a dentist, and a licensed
independent social worker (LICSW). The social worker can help solve problems with income,
employment, childcare, transportation, emotional support, addiction and mental health counseling, and
assistance with other resources in the home. And a dentist can help assess and diagnose her dental issues
related to complaints of bleeding gums. The collaborative practice between the healthcare providers will
benefit the care recipient (Jessica) and her family (Caleb). All the parties in the decision-making
processes surrounding the delivery of integrated medical services will concentrate on Jessica and Caleb’s
personal needs. Seaton et al. (2020) back this up by claiming that collective responsibility for care
delivery in interprofessional collaboration results in seamless patient-centered care. Collaboration
between health practitioners from various sectors is essential in any care setting since it helps the
providers succeed or meet their goals in patient-centered care. Jessica’s urgent need for a
multidisciplinary treatment team is further validated by a list of comprehensive nursing diagnoses
described in the table below.
Comprehensive problem list using Nursing Diagnoses
Problem list for Jessica
Lacey
Problem List for
Caleb Lacey
Goals and outcomes Nursing
interventions
Evaluation
Risk For Altered Parent-
Infant Attachment as
High-risk
pregnancy related
Jessica will bond with
Caleb and be the
Provide a network of
support systems by
contacting her support
Resolution
to be

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evidenced by emotional
stress and hopelessness.
Imbalanced Nutrition: Less
than body requirements as
evidenced by insufficient
daily caloric intake.
Knowledge deficit related
to Ineffective health self-
management.
Ineffective coping, related
to lack of support network.
History of unstable
housing and experimental
drug use
to late presentation
for prenatal care
Feeding concerns
related to
ineffective bonding
with mom.
primary caretaker for
Caleb.
Jessica will not
experience
performance anxiety
during breastfeeding
Caleb.
Jessica and Caleb will
have supportive
housing and a care
network.
Jessica will not abuse
drugs
at the women’s and
children’s shelter.
Coordinate and
regularly
communicate
treatment-related
information with all
providers for seamless
care in Jessica’s and
Caleb’s health and
psychosocial issues.
assessed in
six months.
Difficulty related to
interrupted breastfeeding
as evidenced by maternal
ambivalence/anxiety.
Poor dentition related to
inadequate oral care as
evidenced by bleeding
gums.
Jessica will have
healthy gums and
have a regular dentist
Refer Jessica to a
dentist with follow-up
appointments every
six months until
resolved.
Recommend gentle
brushing and daily
dental hygiene twice a
day.
Recommend a healthy
balanced diet.
To be
assessed in
twelve
months.
(NANDA, 2021-2023)

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Licensing Accreditation and Certification required for a dentist
Globally, dentists must undergo licensure after graduating from an accredited university. In the
U.S., licensure requirements are set by the state board of dentistry, also known as the board of dental
examiners or licensing board (American Dental Association, 2022). Although requirements vary from
state to state, all dental licensure applicants must meet three basic requirements: educational, licensing
examination, and clinical examination (American Dental Association, 2022).
Educational
In the United States, all states require a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or a DMD (Doctor of
Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine), which is a degree from a university-based dental
education program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). The DDS (Doctor of
Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine) are
essentially the same degrees (American Dental Association, 2022).
Licensure
All U.S. licensing jurisdictions require licensure candidates to pass Part I and II of the written
National Board Dental Examination (NBDE). NBDE Part I and II are being discontinued and replaced by
the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE). The INBDE was developed in response to
educational curricula and instructional methods changes and launched on August 1, 2020 (American
Dental Association, 2022).
Clinical examination for licensure
In most U.S. licensing jurisdictions, candidates for dental licensure must successfully pass a clinical
examination requirement. Most state boards of dentistry rely on regional testing agencies to administer
clinical examinations (American Dental Association, 2022).
Licensing, accreditation, and certification for a licensed independent social worker
A social work license requires a BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) or an MSW (Master of Social
Work) (Writer, 2020). All states require that social workers graduate from Council on Social Work

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Education (CSWE) accredited schools in the United States. (Licensed Independent Clinical Social
Worker) licenses require candidates to obtain an MSW (Master of Social Work) (Writer, 2020). Most
MSW programs take two years to complete, though some advanced programs take just one year. Some
schools also offer five-year BSW-to-MSW accelerated programs where students earn both degrees
(Writer, 2020).
MSW programs include social work theory and practice, combining in-class study with on-site
clinical training. MSW programs have additional training for students specializing in addiction
counseling, mental health counseling, or medical social work (Writer, 2020).
Supervised practice requirements
Social workers must complete supervised practice through BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) and
MSW (Master of Social Work) degrees and postgraduate work. In these experiences, social workers gain
on-the-job experience under the direct supervision of a licensed social worker (Writer, 2020). LSW
(Licensed Social Worker), LISW (Licensed Independent Social Worker), LCSW (Licensed Clinical
Social Worker), and LICSW (Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker) licensees must demonstrate
supervised social work experience (Writer, 2020). Specialty certifications are obtained through
the National Association of Social Workers and require renewal every two years (Writer, 2020). Specialty
social workers must complete continuing education credits during the two-year period to maintain
certification renewal eligibility (Writer, 2020).
A healthcare collaborative team can establish goals where participants are equally interested in
achieving those goals for an excellent partnership to exist. Effective, sincere, and intentional
communication is essential. Collaboration among the nursing staff, other medical experts, patients, and
the patient's family members is part of collaborative nursing practice. Although nurses are constantly at
the frontline of care, their nursing care for patients is insufficient alone without the assistance of other
healthcare personnel since the team works as a seamless unit while leveraging its members' unique skills
to attain high levels in patients' health outcomes. To maintain continuity and avoid errors or inadequate
treatment of the patient’s health, a cooperative approach among the nursing staff and other

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multidisciplinary healthcare professionals makes their tasks easily achievable (Huber, 2022).
Collaborating across various cultures is integral in healthcare. Cultural interaction is essential in
collaboration as it entails pooling individuals with varying cultural beliefs and working together to attain
particular objectives. It is imperative to collaborate with various cultures since one person cannot think
about every situation. It also increases creativity, boosts productivity, brings in multiple perspectives, and
faster problem-solving, among other benefits.
Working with colleagues from multidisciplinary healthcare professions on projects provides
support for the treatment team focused on their patient’s care and overall health. Through collaboration,
each provider from their respective discipline will gain additional knowledge that their teammates possess
and increase team members' awareness of each other’s scope of practice. The partnership provides an
extended network of services for the patient, which can address all facets of the patient’s health.
Teamwork improves the process of decision-making. Teamwork should be based on respect, trust, and
collaboration. Via collaborative healthcare, professionals from other disciplines learn that RNs identify
and evaluate patients' needs before putting their medical plans and treatments into action and have a
holistic approach to treatment and patient care. RNs also ensure that patient care is provided following
their organization's rules and guidelines, whether in a clinic or another facility. Thus, teamwork is
essential, especially in handling tasks requiring multiple perspectives and resources for the patient.
At times, providers will face differences and conflicts due to variations in core competencies and
fundamentals of basic theory followed by the healthcare professional from a different discipline.
However, these differences can help develop a high-quality solution for patient-centered care.
Benefits of interprofessional collaboration
Effective interprofessional collaboration has numerous advantages, which explains why there has
been a rise in government policy supporting interprofessional collaboration and education globally.
However, these benefits extend beyond just helping the clients and patients receiving medical treatment
and also helping the healthcare practitioners themselves. According to Huber (2022), effective teamwork
and support among coworkers lower the perception of work-related anxiety, which can enhance the

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quality of patient care through more successful collaboration and improved staff effectiveness. Spaulding
et al. (2019) hypothesize that employee satisfaction is linked to interprofessional association.
Through the process of learning more about one another, interprofessional teamwork helps
teammates bond and can strengthen relationships (Schot et al., 2019). Collaborative practice is required to
improve coordination and communication among healthcare professionals because of the patient and
medical assessment complexity. The wide range of care required to meet each patient's entire care needs
cannot be provided by a single specialty. Combining clinical knowledge and experience is essential to
delivering care that prioritizes treating the client entirely rather than just the illness and personal body
functions (Tracy & O'Grady, 2019a).
Challenges of interprofessional collaboration
A few obstacles prevent nurses from working on interprofessional teams. The resistance of
healthcare professionals from various disciplines to practice collaboratively across specialties take an
active role in it. Collaboration can be an obstacle due to the structure and organizational culture
influencing how teams are formed inside an institution and a healthcare facility (Tracy & O'Grady,
2019a). According to Seaton et al. (2020), team communication issues might result in lousy group
dynamics and harm work output and satisfaction. This is acknowledged by Zechariah et al. (2019), who
propose that the disparity in the "knowledge base and vocabulary" employed by different specialists is
one reason for communication misunderstandings in an interprofessional situation. This is backed up by
Schot et al. (2019), who brings more attention to the linguistic differences and "terminology used by
various professional groups while also pointing out that this is due to the varying educational
backgrounds of multiple professions (Tracy & O'Grady, 2019a).
Therefore, implementing interprofessional education programs throughout the nursing field at
pre- and post-qualification levels is one way to overcome these gaps (Zechariah et al., 2019). The
obstacles and borders among different groups of professionals could be lowered as a result. Crossed and
enabled healthcare workers to understand other professionals' roles and working practices. Another
element that makes it challenging to adopt successful teamwork and hinders the team's capacity to deliver

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high-quality, comprehensive care is confusion and ignorance about the duties and responsibilities of the
various members of an interprofessional team. Spaulding et al. (2019) emphasize this seriousness and
claims that role uncertainty and ambiguity are pervasive issues in the healthcare sector. As a result,
understanding the responsibilities of other professionals in an interprofessional team is becoming
increasingly important for healthcare workers.
IPE interprofessional education fosters the growth of interprofessional thought and behavior,
encourages common understanding and dissemination of knowledge, and ensures that pooled knowledge
is acquired. The IPEC board outlined four competency standards: value and ethics, collaborative practice
roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, teamwork, and team-based care (Tracy &
O'Grady, 2019a).
Value and ethics
The interprofessional activity experience addresses the first competency of value and ethics.
Working with other professionals helps to maintain a climate of shared values and mutual respect. While
working with members of other health professions, team members can demonstrate mutual respect,
integrity, trust, and high ethical standards with the shared goal of providing good quality, patient-centered
medical services. The experience of collaborative work validates that it is essential to respect team
member’s unique knowledge and expertise, which is shared to provide high-quality patient care. (Tracy &
O'Grady, 2019a).
Collaborative practice roles and responsibilities
The interprofessional team could utilize the understanding of other professionals' roles and scope
of practice to fully evaluate and respond to the care needs of the patients and communities they serve.
Recognizing the roles and duties of the many healthcare providers on the team helps provide patient-
centered care that is safe, effective, and outcome-optimizing (Brashers et al., 2019).
Interprofessional Communication
Throughout the interprofessional team, we learned to communicate responsibly and responsively
with families, patients, communities, and other health practitioners, which supported the team's approach

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to managing and treating illnesses. Interprofessional communication involves listening actively,
responding respectfully, and seeking common understanding (Jadotte et al., 2019).
Teamwork and team-based care
To succeed in various team positions and deliver effective patient- and population-centered safe
care which is prompt, effective, efficient, and fair, one must employ relationship-building values and team
dynamics principles. Utilize the principles of group interaction, continuous improvements, and conflict
resolution to exhibit effective teamwork. In interprofessional activity, relationship building and principles
of team dynamics are essential to help providers perform effectively in their individual roles. Active
knowledge sharing and exchange can help solve conflicts and improve care processes (Brashers et al.,
2019).

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