NURS FPX 4010 Assessment 2 Interview and Interdisciplinary Issue Identification.docx

For this assessment, you will create a 2–4 page report on an interview you have conducted with a health care professional. You will identify an issue from the interview that could be improved with an interdisciplinary approach, and review best practices and evidence to address the issue.
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Introduction
As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, your participation and leadership in interdisciplinary teams will be vital to the health outcomes for your patients and organization. One way to approach designing an improvement project is to use the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement describes it thus:
The Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle is shorthand for testing a change in the real work setting—by planning it, trying it, observing the results, and acting on what is learned. This is the scientific method adapted for action-oriented learning…Essentially, the PDSA cycle helps you test out change ideas on a smaller scale before evaluating the results and making adjustments before potentially launching into a somewhat larger scale project (n.d.).
You might also recognize that the PDSA cycle resembles the nursing process. The benefit of gaining experience with this model of project design is that it provides nurses with an opportunity to ideate and lead improvements. For this assessment, you will not be implementing all of the PDSA cycle. Instead, you are being asked to interview a health care professional of your choice to determine what kind of interdisciplinary problem he or she is experiencing or has experienced in the workplace. This interview, in Assessment 2, will inform the research that you will conduct to propose a plan for interdisciplinary collaboration in Assessment 3.
It would be an excellent choice to complete the PDSA Cycle activity prior to developing the report. The activity consists of four questions that create the opportunity to check your understanding of best practices related to each stage of the PDSA cycle. The information gained from completing this formative will promote your success with the Interview and Interdisciplinary Issue Identification report. This will take just a few minutes of your time and is not graded.

1. NURS FPX 4010 Assessment 2: Interview and Interdisciplinary Issue
Identification
Capella University
NURS-FPX4010 – Leading People, Processes, and Organizations in
Interprofessional Practice
Danielle Koman DNP, FNP
See Original papers at www.nursfpx.us
Email Tutor: [email protected]
NURS FPX 4010 Assessment 2: Interview and Interdisciplinary Issue Identification
Summary
As part of this evaluation, a discussion with a nurse manager was attempted to identify
any multidisciplinary healthcare concerns. The issues covered in detail could have been
more efficient collaboration across departments and the negative consequences for

2. patients. According to the nurse manager, a lack of effective communication leads to
patient dissatisfaction, adverse outcomes, and delayed treatment.
Issue Identification
The main point discussed during the interview was that the nursing staff could be more
effective in cooperating with other members of the healthcare team. They rarely
communicate directly with physicians and other specialists. This breakdown in
communication frequently leads to a lack of understanding about a patient's condition,
resulting in delays in addressing patient needs and less-than-ideal treatment planning. As
a result, a patient may spend more time in the hospital or experience issues with their care
due to a lack of clear and integrated communication, which can make the patient's
treatment plan clear.
Additionally, the nurse manager noted that communication performance declines when
time is limited and work pressure is high. Working intensively all the time, doctors and
nurses only sometimes have the opportunity to sit down and discuss each patient's
condition in detail. This loss of communication and organizational efficiency increases
the risk of medical errors and adds stress to healthcare personnel.
Change Theories for Interdisciplinary Solutions
The highlighted communication issues can be effectively managed using Lewin's Change
Management Model, which includes three steps: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing.
In the unfreezing stage, the healthcare organization must identify existing communication
barriers and increase staff awareness of the need for change. The first step is ensuring that

3. each team member feels comfortable discussing the issues they face and is committed to
improving interpersonal communication.
During the changing phase, new procedures will be implemented to improve
interdisciplinary communication. For example, the medical team will ensure that all
members are well-informed about patient care through daily multidisciplinary huddles,
where the team meets briefly to review reports. Another strategy is using team-based
EHR updates, allowing all caregivers to view and edit patient records in real-time, further
removing communication barriers.
The final stage, refreezing, involves permanently implementing these improved
communication practices. Healthcare teams will rehearse these methods regularly to
ensure that effective communication becomes standardized, thereby enhancing the quality
of treatment.
Collaboration Approaches for Interdisciplinary Teams
If quality patient care is to be achieved across healthcare specialties, it is essential that
these specialties collaborate effectively. Multidisciplinary rounds—in which
representatives from disparate specialties discuss patient issues—are one effective way.
In this setting, every member of a patient's care team gets updated on the patient's
condition and the path of treatment, decreasing confusion.
Shared EHRs significantly offer clinicians real-time access to patient data. This improved
access allows everyone in the team to make better decisions with up-to-date information.
The successful use of technology, coupled with increasing communication, can be

4. leveraged to increase the degree of collaboration between departments within healthcare
organizations and improve patient outcomes.
Lastly, healthcare communication problems can be addressed with a methodized
approach grounded in change management theories and teamwork techniques. Improving
communication procedures and interprofessional collaboration should improve patient
workflow and make the environment more patient-centered.
References
Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics: Concept, method, and reality in social
science; social equilibria and social change. Human Relations.
See Original papers at nursfpx.us email: [email protected]