Evidence based DISCUSSION REPLIES

attached below are the replies to respond to, please include at least 2 references of each

Social Justice Advocate

What is the main role of a social justice advocate?

Reflection Journal

Describe how racial/health disparities, health equality/inequality and social justice/injustice could apply to the community you reside in, provide one specific example of how you will make a change in nursing practice regrading wound care. 

Assessment 1 Nursing Informatics in Health Care

Assessment 1

Nursing Informatics in Health Care

Write a 4–5 page evidence-based proposal to support the need for a nurse informaticist in an organization who would focus on improving health care outcomes.

Introduction

Nurses at the baccalaureate level in all practice areas are involved in nursing informatics through interaction with information management and patient care technologies. Nurses must not only demonstrate knowledge of and skills in health information and patient care technologies, but also how to use these tools at the bedside and organizational levels. Moreover, nurses need to recognize how information gathered from various health information sources can impact decision making at the national and state regulatory levels.

Preparation

To successfully prepare for this assessment, you will need to complete these preparatory activities:

Review assessment resources and activities.

Conduct independent research on the nursing knowledge and skills necessary to interact with health information and patient care technology.

Focus your research on current resources available through peer-reviewed articles, professional websites, government websites, professional blogs, wikis, job boards, and so on.

Consult the BSN Program Library Research Guide for help in identifying scholarly and authoritative sources.

Interview peers in your network who are considered information technology experts.

Ask them about how information technology advances are impacting patient care at the bedside, at the organizational level, and beyond.

Scenario

For this assessment, assume you are a nurse attending a meeting of your state’s nurses association. A nurse informaticist conducted a presentation on her role and its impact on positive patient and organizational outcomes in her workplace. You realize that your organization is undergoing many technological changes. You believe this type of role could provide many benefits to your organization.

You decide to pursue proposing a nurse informaticist role in your organization. You speak to your chief nursing officer (CNO) and human resources (HR) manager, who ask you to prepare a 4–5 page evidence-based proposal to support the new role. In this way, they can make an informed decision as to whether the addition of such a role could justify the return on investment (ROI). They need your proposal before an upcoming fiscal meeting.​ This is not an essay, but instead, it is a proposal to create a new Nurse Informaticist position.

One important part of this assessment is the justification of the need for a nurse informaticist in a health care organization and references from relevant and timely scholarly or professional resources to support the justification for creating this nurse informaticist position. The term justify means to show or prove that the nurse informaticist position brings value to the organization. This justification must include evidence from the literature to support that this position will provide a return on investment for the organization.

Proposal Format

The chief nursing officer (CNO) and human resources (HR) manager have asked you to include the following headings in your proposal and to be sure to address the bullets following each heading:

Nursing Informatics and the Nurse Informaticist

What is nursing informatics?

What is the role of the nurse informaticist?

Nurse Informaticists and Other Health Care Organizations

What is the experience of other health care organizations with nurse informaticists?

How do these nurse informaticists interact with the rest of the nursing staff and the interdisciplinary team?

Impact of Full Nurse Engagement in Health Care Technology

How does fully engaging nurses in health care technology impact:

Patient care?

Protected health information (security, privacy, and confidentiality)?

In this section, you will explain evidence-based strategies that the nurse informaticist and interdisciplinary team can use to effectively manage patients' protected health information, particularly privacy, security, and confidentiality. Evidence-based means that they are supported by evidence from scholarly sources.

Workflow?

Costs and return on investment?

Opportunities and Challenges

What are the opportunities and challenges for nurses and the interdisciplinary team with the addition of a nurse informaticist role?

How can the interdisciplinary team collaborate to improve quality care outcomes through technology?

Summary of Recommendations

What are 3–4 key takeaways from your proposal about the recommended nurse informaticist role that you want the CNO and the HR manager to remember?

This is the section where the justification for the implementation of the nursing informaticist role is addressed. Remember to include eviden
A screenshot of a medical information guide  Description automatically generatedce from the literature to support your recommendation.

image1.png

EXPLORING EBP QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

To prepare: the key requirements are to identify a hypothetical practice problem as the focus of an evidence-based quality improvement project; a hypothetical health care setting for the project based on investigating actual sites; stakeholders for project approval and implementation within health care settings; and a presentation outlining the basic steps of a specific framework/model for translating research and evidence to improved practice.

The Assignment:Part 1: Key Project Elements

Complete your p a p e r of 6–8 pages, plus cover page and references page, explaining your investigation of three hypothetical practice sites for an Evidence based practice QI project.

Part 2: Implementation Science Presentation

Complete your PowerPoint presentation of 3–5 slides, plus cover and reference slides, to inform hypothetical stakeholders.

Strategic Planning

Preparation

The feedback you received on your care setting environmental analysis has been positive. Consequently, you have been asked to select one of the potential improvement projects you noted in your analysis and create a full, 5–10-year strategic plan to achieve the desired quality and safety improvement outcomes. You will develop your strategic plan, using either an AI approach (addressing the design stage), or by building on your SWOT analysis and applying a strategic planning model of your choice.

How you structure your plan should be based on whether you are taking an appreciative inquiry approach or using a specific strategic planning model. Regardless of the approach you choose, the requester of the plan has asked that you address the key points outlined below in the strategic plan requirements. In addition, your plan should be 6–8 pages in length.

As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

Strategic planning models aid in setting goals, establishing time frames, and forging a path toward achieving those goals. Consider the strategic planning models you are familiar with:

  • Which model would you choose to create goals and outcomes that could address the area of concern you identified in your Assessment 1 SWOT analysis?
  • Why is this model the best choice among alternatives?
  • How does goal setting through appreciative inquiry provocative propositions differ from goal setting in the strategic planning model you selected?

 Strategic Plan

  • Develop strategic goal statements and outcomes that reflect specific quality and safety improvements for your care setting. You should have at least one short-term goal (just-in-time to one year) and one long-term goal (five years or longer).
    • Determine realistic timelines for achieving your goals.
    • Explain how your short-term goals support your long-term goals.

Note: For plans based on an AI approach, the goal statements and outcomes are provocative propositions that may be refinements of the positive, yet attainable, goals that you proposed during the dream phase of your inquiry. For plans based on a SWOT analysis, the goal statements and outcomes are specific, measurable, and applicable to the area of concern in your analysis for which you proposed pursuing improvements.

  • Justify the relevance of your proposed strategic goals and outcomes in relation to the mission, vision, and values of your care setting.
  • Analyze the extent to which your strategic goals and outcomes, and your approach to achieving them, address:
    • The ethical environment.
    • The cultural environment.
    • The use of technology.
    • Applicable health care policies, laws, and regulations.
  • Explain, in general, how you will use relevant leadership and health care theories to help achieve your proposed strategic goals and outcomes.
    • Consider whether different theories are more applicable to the short-term or long-term goals of your strategic plan.
  • Evaluate the leadership qualities and skills that are most important to successfully implementing your proposed plan and sustaining strategic direction.
    • Identify those leadership qualities and skills that are essential to achieving your goals and outcomes and sustaining strategic direction.
    • Identify those leadership qualities and skills that will have the greatest effect on the success of your plan.

Viral intestinal infection in a 8 years old child

  

Discusion topic: SOAP note about Viral intestinal infection in 8 years old child

Requirements

Ø The discussion must address the topic

Ø Rationale must be provided

Ø Use at least 600 words (no included 1st page or references in the 600 words)

Ø May use examples from your nursing practice

Ø Formatted and cited in current APA 7

Ø Use 3 academic sources, not older than 5 years. Not Websites are allowed.

Ø Plagiarism is NOT permitted

I have attached the template, the rubric, and an example

Pn2

Pn2

Question 1

A nurse working with clients with sickle cell disease (SCD) teaches about self-management to
prevent exacerbation and sickle cell crises. A client communicates the need for additional
teaching by which of the following statements.

A) “I will avoid extreme stress.”
B) “I will avoid exercise.”
C) “I will drink adequate fluid to avoid dehydration.”
D) I will avoid high altitudes.”

Question 2

A client experiencing a severe asthma attack has the following arterial blood gas results: Ph
7.33; PCO2 48 mm Hg: HCO3 26 mEq/L. Which order should the nurse implement first?

A) Sputum culture
B) Ipratropium inhaler
C) Albuterol nebulizer
D) Chest x-ray

Question 3

A client receiving a heparin infusion demonstrates signs of acute bleeding. Which of the
following should the nurse anticipate the provider to prescribe for to his client?

A) Aspirin
B) Protamine Sulfate
C) Naloxone
D) Vitamin K

Question 4

A nurse is completing the admission assessment of a client who has suspected Pulmonary
edema. Which of the following clinical infestations are expected? (select all that apply.)

A) Thick, yellow sputum
B) Tachypnea
C) Orthopnea
D) Increased urinary output
E) Persistent cough

Question 5

A client is diagnosed with acute peripheral arterial occlusion. The nurse should prepare to
provide which of the following interventions for this client?

A) Apply sequential compression devices (SCDS)
B) Place on a fluid restriction
C) Assist with ambulation
D) Administer heparin as prescribed

Question 6

The post-anesthesia care nurse is caring for a client who just has an aortic valve replacement
surgery. The client’s arterial gases are pH 72..; HCRO3 21 mEQ/L; PCO2 65 mm Hg; and PO2
58 mm Hg. Which is the priority action by the nurse?

A) Increasing the client’s oxygen flow rate
B) Auscultating lung sounds
C) Notifying the provider
D) Documenting the findings

Question 7

A client is receiving spironolactone to treat bilateral lower extremity edema. The nurse should
instruct the client to make which nutritional modification to prevent electrolyte imbalance?

A) Increase intake of milk and milk products
B) Restrict fluid intake to 1,000 ml/day
C) Do not use a salt substitute
D) Increase foods high in sodium

Question 8

A client has a history of heart failure and has been prescribed, digoxin, and potassium chloride.
The client has nausea, blurred vision, headache, and weakness. The nurse notes that the client
is confused, refusing to eat, and complaining of nausea. The nurse should assess the client for
signs of:

A) Pulmonary edema
B) Fluid deficit
C) Hyperkalemia
D) Digoxin toxicity

Question 9

Which action by a client with asthma indicates a good understanding of the nurse’s teaching
about peak flow meter use?

A) The client uses the albuterol metered -dose inhaler for peak flows in the yellow zone
B) The client calls the healthcare provider when the peak flows is in the green zone
C) The client records an average of five peak flow reading every day
D) The client inhales rapidly through the peak flow meter mouthpiece

QUestion 10

A nurse assesses a client in preparation for receiving a blood transfusion. Pre transfusing vitals
are temperature at 98.2 F, heart rate 82 beats/minute, respirations 18 breaths/minute, blood
pressure 1027 mm Hg, and oxygen saturation 96% on room air, fifteen minutes after starting the
transfusion, the nurse measures the following vital signs. Which of the following is the highest
priority of action?

A) Heart rate 112 beats/minute
B) Oxygen saturation 94% on room air
C) Temperature 98.6 F
D) Blood pressure 108/78 mm Hg

Question 11

A client is admitted with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). For which of the following
complications should the nurse be most concerned?

A) Loss of bowel sounds
B) Cardiac arrhythmias
C) Hypotension
D) ANeurysm rupture

Question 12

Which of the following statements should the nurse teach a client receiving heparin infusion?

A) Vitamin K is used to reverse the effects of heparin
B) International normalized ratio (INR) is use to assess its effectiveness
C) Heparin with facilitate clotting of the blood
D) Partial thromboplastin time value determine the dosage of heparin

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a group of clients on a pulmonary unit. The nurse can delegate which
task to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP)?

A) Providing oral care
B) Monitoring client response to ambulation
C) Asserting pain level
D) Teaching the client how to use the incentive spirometer

Question 14

Isoniazid and rifampin have been prescribed for a client with tuberculosis. A nurse reviews the
medical record of the client. Which of the following notes would require the nurse to question the
order for these medications?

A) History of kidney stones
B) Triglyceride level of 142
C) Allergy of penicillin
D) Elevated AST and ALT levels

Question 15

Which of the following conditions is most commonly responsible for left heart failure?

A) Murmur
B) Tricuspid valve regurgitation
C) Hypertension
D) Pulmonary valve stenosis

Question 16

Which laboratory test will be most useful to the nurse in determining whether a client admitted
with acute shortness of breath has heart failure?

A) B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP)
B) Cholesterol
C) Serum creatine kinase (CK)
D) Arterial blood gases (ABGs)

Question 17

Which finding requires immediate intervention when planning care for an adolescent with cystic
fibrosis (CF)?

A) Chest pain with dyspnea
B) Delayed puberty
C) Poor weight gain

D) Large foul-smelling bulky stools

Question 18

A young adult is admitted to the emergency department after an automobile accident. The client
has severe pain in the right chest from contract with the steering wheel. What should the nurse
do first?

A) Perform a focused respiratory assessment
B) Reduce the client’s anxiety
C) Maintain adequate circulating volume
D) Administer pain medication

Question 19

A client who underwent a lobectomy and has a water seal chest drainage system appears to
have an increased work of breathing and a faster respiratory rate than 1 hour ago. The client’s
pulse rate is also increased. The nurse should do which of the following?

A) Check the tubing to ensure that the client is not lying on it or kinking it
B) Ensure that the chest tube has two clamps on it to prevent air leaks
C) Lower the drainage system 2 or 3 feet below the level on the client’s chest
D) Increase the section q

Question 20

The nurse is preparing a teaching plan for a client who is being discharged after being admitted
for atherosclerosis. The client has been taking simvastatin 40 mg for the last two years. The lab
results for the clients lipid panel result are total cholesterol 195 mg/dl; triglycerides 106 mg/dl;
and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) 69 mg/dl. Which action should the nurse take?

A) Tell the client that the cholesterol level are within normal limits
B) Review the chart for lab reports of hemoglobin and hematocrit
C) Instruct the client to lower the saturated fat in their diet
D) Ask if the client is taking the simvastatin regularly

Question 21

A client is experiencing an acute asthmatic attack. The client is noted to have respirations of 40
oxygen saturation 86% on room air, and lungs sounds with audible wheezing. Which arterial
blood response to treatment with albuterol?

A) pH: 7.27, CO2: 41 mm Hg, HCO3: 14 mm Hg
B) pH: 7.6, CO2: 34 mm Hg, HCO3: 24 Hg
C) pH: 7.12, CO2: 47 mm Hg, HCO3: 32 mm Hh
D) pH: 7.39, CO2: 36 mm Hg, HCO3: 23 mm Hg

Question 22

A nurse evaluates the following arterial blood gas and vital sign results for a client with chronic
(COPD):
Arterial Blood Gas REsults
pH=7.32
paO2=46mm Hg
hCO3= 28 mEq/L vital signs
Respiratory rate = 10 breath/min
Blood pressure= 145/65 mm Hg
Heart rate= 110 beats/min
Oxygen saturation= 76% on room air
Which action should the nurse take first

A) Document finding as expected for a client with COP
B) Teach the client diaphragmatic breathing techniques
C) Administer a short-acting beta 2 agonist inhaler
D) Initiate oxygenation therapy and titrate oxygen to achieve a target oxygen saturation of

88-92%

Question 23

The health care provider has just prescribed warfarin sodium for a client with a deep vein
thrombosis (DVT). The nurse knows that his client is still receiving intravenous heparin. Which is
the nurse’s best action?

A) Discontinue the heparin drip completely before warfarin sodium administration.
B) Turn off the heparin drip for 1 hour before administering the warfarin sodium.
C) Hold the dose of warfarin sodium
D) Administer the medication as prescribed

Question 24

A client with chronic bronchitis who has a new prescription for fluticasone and salmeterol
combination inhaler asks the nurse the purpose of using tw drugs. Which is the best response
by the nurse?

A) The combination of two drugs work more quickly in an acute asthma attack
B) One drug decreases inflammation, and the other is a bronchodilator.
C) The two drugs work together to block the effects of histamine of the bronchioles
D) It is a combination of long-acting and slow-acting bronchodilators

Question 25

Which assessment finding for a client receiving furosemide 40 mg, twice daily to treat stage 2
hypertension is most important to

A) Blood glucose level of 180 mg/dl
B) Early morning blood pressure reading of 164/90 mm Hg
C) Orthostatic systolic blood pressure decrease of 30 mm Hg
D) Blood potassium level of 4.2 mEq/L

Question 26

Which findings are significant data to gather from a client who has been diagnosed with
pneumonia? ( select all that apply.)

A) Color of nail beds
B) Amount of peripheral edema
C) Occurrence of chest pain
D) Quality of breath sounds
E) Presence of bowel sounds

Question 28

The provider ordered normal Saline with 20 mEQ of KcL to infuse at 100 mL/hr. The first liter
bag was hung at 1500. What time does the nurse anticipate needing to hang the second bag of
Iv fluids? (record answer in military time.)

Answer: 0100

Question 29

A client is undergoing diagnostic testing for infective endocarditis. Which of the following
laboratory tests would be most useful in diagnosis?

A) Reticulocyte count
B) Blood cultures
C) Basic Metabolic panel
D) Prothrombin time

Question 30

Which of the following statements indicated a client’s understanding of managing their
obstructive apnea?

A) “It is possible that my sleep apnea can be corrected if I exercise and watch my diet.”
B) “Using modafinil can cure my obstructive sleep apnea.”

C) “I should wait to take my sleep aid until I am ready for bed.”
D) “I will stop using my continuous positive airway pressure machine if it makes too much

noise.”

Question 31

When a client with hypertension with a new prescription for atenolol returns to the health clinic
after two weeks for a follow-up visit, the blood pressure is unchanged from the previous visit.
Which action should the nurse take first?

A) Remind the client that lifestyle changes also are essential in blood pressure control
B) Teach the client about the reason for a possible change in drug therapy
C) Question the client about whether the medication is actually being taken
D) Provide information about the use of multiple drugs to treat hypertension

Question 32

A client with an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is
admitted to the hospital. How can the nurse best position the client to improve gas exchange?

A) Resting in bed in a semi-fowler’s position with the knees flexed.
B) Resting in bed with the head elevated 45 to 60 degrees.
C) In the Trendelenburg position with several pillows behind the head.
D) Sitting up at the bedside or in a chair and leaning slightly forward.

Question 33

A nurse is caring for a client who has valvular heart disease and is at risk of developing
left-sided heart failure. Which of the following manifestations should alert the nurse the client is
developing this condition?

A) Anorexia
B) Dependent edema
C) Orthopnea
D) Weight gain

Question 34

A nurse is assessing a male client who has a diagnosis of acute arterial occlusion. Which of the
following findings should the nurse expect to find on the affected extremity? (select all that
apply.)

A) Pallor
B) Paralysis

C) Paresthesia
D) Petechiae
E) Pulselessness
F) Pain

Question 35

Which of the following would the nurse most likely assess in a client diagnosed with right-sided
heart failure?

A) Syncope
B) Hepatomegaly
C) Crackles
D) Cough with frothy blood-tinged sputum

Question 36

The nurse is caring for a client diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Which of
the following interventions require extra care by the nurse?

A) Teaching the client diaphragmatic breathing
B) Encouraging fluids
C) Apply a cardiac monitor
D) Administering pain medications

Question 37

A client is having a laboratory test conducted to confirm a diagnosis of atherosclerosis. Which of
the following laboratory values would support this client’s medical diagnosis? (select all that
apply.)

A) Triglycerides 175 mg/dL
B) Blood glucose 115 mg/dL
C) High-density lipoprotein (HDL) 50 mg/dL
D) Serum-cholesterol 195 mg/dL
E) Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) 145 mg/dL
F) Potassium 5.9 mEq/L

Question 38

Of the following client assignments made by the charge nurse, which would be questioned?

A) The RN with 1 year of experience caring for a post-appendectomy client
B) The LPN with 5 years of experience changing a chronic foley

C) The RN with eight years of experience caring for a client with peripheral vascularisation
disease and total cholesterol of 390 mg/dL

D) The LPN with ten years of experience caring for a client with new complaints of chest
pressure

Question 39

Which arterial blood gas (ABG) values are expected with hyperventilation?

A) pH 7.249; PaCO2 64 mmHg
B) pH 7.56; PaC02 25 mmHg
C) pH 7.50; paC02 50 mmHg
D) pH 7.28; PaCO2 28 mmHg

Question 40

The nurse is assessing a client with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Which
requires immediate intervention?

A) Pursed-lip breathing
B) Inability to speak
C) Diminished lung sounds
D) Distant heart sounds

Question 41

A client with a history of aortic valve stenosis tell s the healthcare provider. “I don't have a lot of
energy anymore, and I have to sleep on 3 pillows at night.” Which of these problems does the
healthcare provider conclude is likely the cause of these clinical findings?

A) Left-sided heart failure
B) Right-sided heart failure
C) Peripheral venous disease

Question 42

A client is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency. Which of
these statements by the client is most consistent with the diagnosis?

A) “I can never seem to get my feet warm enough”
B) “I have pain in my legs after I walk three blocks”
C) “I should elevate my legs”
D) “I wake up during the night because my legs hurt”

Question 43

Which of the following medications should be used with caution in clients with asthma or chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to their potential to cause bronchoconstriction?

A) Calcium channel blockers
B) Thiazide diuretics
C) Beta-blocker
D) ACE Inhibitors

Question 44
Which of the following should the nurse instruct a client newly diagnosed with hypertension on?

A) It can be managed easily
B) It is a short term problem
C) It is a lifelong process
D) It happens only in the very poor, and treatment is expensive

Question 45

The nurse assessing a client diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). WHich of the
following sounds did the nurse likely auscultate during the assessment?

A) Bruit
B) Pleural rub
C) Crackles
D) Hyperactive bowel sounds

Question 46

A client is receiving an intravenous infusion of heparin sodium at 1,770 units/hr. The drug
concentration is heparin sodium 25,000 units/250ml. What is the rate (in mL/hr) the nurse must
infuse the medication at? (round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing
zero.)

Question 47

The nurse is assessing a 48-year-old client with a history of smoking during a routine clinic visit.
The client, who exercises regularly, reports having pain in the calf during the exercise that
disappears at rest. Which finding requires further evaluation?

A) Ankle-brachial index of 0.99
B) Oxygen saturation of 94% on room air
C) Diminished right pedal pulse
D) Heart rate 60 beats/minute

Question 48

The nurse is notifying the healthcare provider via telephone of a change in the condition of a
client diagnosed with exacerbation of asthma. Arrange the nursing statements in order as they
would by communicated using the SBAR method.
1.Mr.Smith was admitted yesterday with an exacerbation of asthma. He typically controls his
asthma with oral medication and inhaler at home. He orders albuterol treatments twice daily.
Oxygen is prescribed for a 2L nasal cannula.
2. I am notifying you because Bob Smith has become increasingly short of breath with audible
wheezing this afternoon.
3. I recommend that we increase his oxygen dose and prescribe an extra albuterol treatment.
4. Hello. My name is Nurse Jones from Unit D.
5. Respirations are now 32/minute. The pulse oximeter is 89% on 2 L nasal cannula. Lungs
reveal wheezing in all lung fields.

A) 4,5,1,2,3
B) 4,2,1,5,3
C) 4,1,2,5,3
D) 4,5,2,1,3

Question 49

The nurse is reviewing a medical record for a client with hypertension. Which of the following
medications may be used in the management of hypertension? (select all that apply)

A) Carvedilol
B) Hydrochlorothiazide
C) Ticagrelor
D) Loratadine
E) Verapamil
F) Valsartan

Question 50

Order for dobutamine to infuse at 20 mcg/kg/min. The client weighs 182 Ib. The pharmacy
supplied a bag of dobutamine 250 mg/250ml. What is the rate (in mL/hr) the nurse infuses the
medication at? (Round the answer to the nearest whole number. Do not use a trailing zero.)?

Nursing advocating

Homework for  How can nurses be change agents and advocate for their community? Provide at least two specific examples. 

discuss

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by expanding on your colleague’s post or suggesting an alternative viewpoint/perspective on the experiences described by your colleagues.

1. Intra- and interdisciplinary collaboration is undoubtedly one of my highest priority areas of interest a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student, and eventual practicing DNP. Throughout my nursing career, I have experienced a wide variety of collaboration styles; some within the same company but in different outpatient locations or departments, and other collaboration styles that were implemented as a company-wide initiative. Unfortunately, I have perceived many of these collaborative efforts as poor.

            Prior to completing my psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner education with Walden, I worked in a variety of mental health settings including inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment that would also include dual diagnosis substance use treatment. Many of these settings offered collaboration that was purely transactional, and provided the minimum information required to complete the engagement. Often intradisciplinary, these were nurse-to-nurse shift handoffs or patient transfer calls to coordinate the delivery of a patient from the emergency department up to the psychiatric floor. Many aspects were involved in the quality, or lack thereof, of the communication that would take place. The essence of time was always and has been shown to be one of the most common barriers to effective care coordination at any level, as well as providers unfortunately passing the responsibility of initiating the contact (Šanc & Prosen, 2022).

            In my most recent position as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, there have been company-wide initiatives to ensure the presence interdisciplinary collaboration. The support from all levels of management has encouraged follow through of these initiatives, modeling importance and engagement in the practice (McEwen & Wills, 2019). Communication has been supported by assuring quick connection between a patient’s individual therapist and their psychiatric prescriber, with access to an internal instant messaging system providing a more casual and convenient platform for collaboration while cutting back on emails. Approximately nine to twelve months ago, the medical director was attending a weekly meeting with all the individual therapists and was available for additional consulting if needed. As the psychiatry team rapidly grew from five to ten prescribers, this became a daunting number of patients for the medical director to quickly review and answer questions for on-the-spot. I was happy to be a part of a problem-solving initiative introducing a consult hour, where individual therapists can schedule ten-minute Zoom meetings with a mutual patient’s psychiatric provider for additional consultation during a dedicated block of time each Friday between noon and 1pm EST. This has provided a great opportunity to collaborate in a more personal manner, offering spoken-word collaboration rather than electronic communication as the company covers approximately twenty-five states.

            In addition to weekly clinical consult hour, the psychiatry team meets weekly for one hour to offer time for intradisciplinary collaboration. This meeting is utilized to review patient cases where a diagnosis may feel unclear, or the prescriber may be seeking additional professional recommendation on a direction for medications. While the Henry et al. (2018) case study offered collaboration from individuals with varying specialty backgrounds, the weekly psych team meeting offers similar benefits as many of the psychiatric nurse practitioners have prior nursing experience in critical care which has been immensely supportive when ruling out or assessing physical health implications of a mental health diagnosis. Despite all prescribers specializing in psychiatry currently, there remains a vast array of experiences throughout advanced-practice as well including substance use treatment, severe-persistent mental illness, and specialization in neurocognitive disease. Collaborating with all different areas of psychiatry provides an even more in-depth evaluation of a specialty area and further improves patient outcomes.

As a Registered Nurse with 16 years of experience working in the field of inpatient psychiatry and substance use disorders, I have been a member of many different interdisciplinary treatment teams.  It is easy to say that some teams were more effective than others.  The most successful interdisciplinary teams, in my experience, place a high value on the importance of communication.  There was a recent study conducted by Ansa et al. (2020) whereby 551 staff members of a large medical hospital from varying disciplines answered survey questions related to interprofessional collaboration.  The staff members ranked communication as the top indicator of a successful team, followed by knowledge of role limitations and trust/mutual respect.

            Intradisciplinary collaboration can be defined as “a relational and respectful process among nursing colleagues that allows for the effective use of the knowledge, skills, and talents of all nursing designations to achieve optimal client and health system outcomes” (Canadian Nurses Association, 2020).  More succinctly, it means working towards a common goal within a single discipline rather than joining many disciplines together to achieve a goal.  While both of these approaches have value, it is essential to consider which collaboration style will yield more successful results for a given problem.

Personal Experiences with Inter versus Intradisciplinary Collaboration

 One of my previous organizations had an issue with the nursing admission workflow.  In this case, we took an intradisciplinary approach in order to brainstorm solutions.  We invited only those from the nursing discipline who wanted to participate to join leadership in the conference room to determine how we could improve the workflow.  While we were able to come up with a solid solution for this workflow gap, we neglected to factor in the roles of the direct care staff, admissions coordinators, and providers, which meant we had to go back and do so after the fact.

 2.           I worked for another organization that valued the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration very highly.  Treatment teams were created, and all other workflows stemmed from these teams.  The teams consisted of a Psychiatrist, a Social Worker, a Registered Nurse (RN), and a Mental Health Worker.  These teams would round on their patients together to ensure communication and collaboration were clear for the patient as well as within the team.  Treatment team meetings occurred after rounds and highly involved and extremely patient-specific treatment plans were developed and executed to ensure best patient care.  A recent case study determined that “combining students from different professions in the student-designed case study process supported a structured opportunity for socio-cultural learning, which is considered key to interprofessional learning” (Henry et al., 2018).  I believe that the same is true for healthcare.  By employing an interdisciplinary approach, communication and mutual respect are improved, which allows teams to solve problems together while considering each person’s unique perspective and skillset thereby improving patient car