Why Is Collaboration Important

The Importance of Teamwork and Collaboration in Nursing

Brittani Papa

Chamberlain College of Nursing

NR351-12428: Transitions in Professional Nursing

September 2017

The Importance of Teamwork and Collaboration in Nursing Teamwork and collaboration, we do both every day, multiple times a day, but are we doing them effectively? We Collaborate with the physician, the physical therapist, occupational therapist, lab, pharmacy respiratory therapy, radiology, and many more. How we communicate and collaborate with these different interdisciplinary groups sets the tone for each patient’s hospital stay. Teamwork and collaboration are important to the nursing profession because not only do they improve patient outcomes which in turn decreases length of stay it

One of the most important things is Interdisciplinary rounding. This is something that often happens at shift change or possibly when the physician comes in for rounds and the nurse caring for the patients the physician is seeing accompanies the physician to examine or do rounds. This helps because the provider is able to “lay eyes” on the patient and also the nurse can provide important information and if there is a problem that needs addressed both can collaborate together to solve the problem. Communication is also another important aspect of successful teamwork and collaboration. Without effective Communication teamwork and collaboration cannot exist. To improve communication nurses should gather all information before calling the physician, they should use nursing judgement to decide if the complication needs handled now by the physician or if it can wait until the doctor comes into do rounds. Both nurses and physicians should speak to each other in a professional manner. Overcoming Barriers to Nurse-Physician Teamwork and