ATI RN Comprehessive preditctor Exam study guide

Teamwork Happens Daily The above quote comes from Helen Keller (Lash, 1980). Nurses can certainly attest to this fact, for without teamwork and collaboration between departments, patient care would be severely jeopardized. Nurses work in teams every day. Nursing care on the hospital floor is supported by nurse's aides, LPNs, RNs, who all must work together to get the daily care accomplished. But there is often more care necessary than the nurse can provide: Respiratory, Dietary, Physical Therapy, etc. Who, then, assesses the need for and coordinates these care issues? The provider may or may not have prescribed collaborative care but it often falls upon the nurse to further assess and suggest the inclusion of interdisciplinary care. Effective interdisciplinary teams require collaboration, which is often led by the nurse, who needs to avoid an authoritarian approach. If team members work in an authoritarian environment, they may be hesitant to make decisions for themselves and may fully depend upon the authoritarian leader. Creativity will be dampened, and creativity is mandatory for team progress.