Interprofessional Collaboration and the Introduction of Nursing Guidelines at Best Practice Spotlight Organizations

Abstract

Effective patient care requires interprofessional collaboration and decisions based on clinical guidelines. The goal of this study was to determine how interprofessional collaboration influences the introduction of nursing Best Practice Guidelines. This study was a secondary qualitative analysis of data obtained from interviews and reports from two selected sites (long term care and community health care) that demonstrated interprofessional collaboration during the introduction of nursing Best Practice Guidelines. Findings emphasized the importance of communication, the role of an interprofessional team, and the understanding of the roles of all involved in the introduction of discipline specific clinical guidelines. In addition, unregulated staff members were involved in leadership roles and their work was important in providing effective interprofessional collaborative care during the introduction of guidelines. Therefore, it is essential to appropriately involve all members of the interprofessional team, regardless of discipline or educational level, during the introduction of clinical guidelines.