NUR 514 Topic 8 DQ 1 Discuss the way communication technologies can enhance coordination of care by inter-professional teams
Open and clear communication is critical for the effective functioning of the interprofessional team and the delivery of safe patient care. Discuss the way communication technologies can enhance coordination of care by inter-professional teams. Be sure to discuss a specific communication technology in your response.
Re: Topic 8 DQ 1
Everyday nursing requires communication, whether it is with the patient or members of the healthcare team. Effective communication between interprofessional teams, including patients, families and caregivers is important to coordinate care for optimal, quality, and safe health outcomes for patients. The Joint Commision emphasizes “effective communication occurs when needed, is clear, accurate, complete, and is understood by the receiver; the Joint Commission has found that ineffective communication is one of the top three root causes of reported sentinel events;” (Zysk, 2017, para. 4). According to VanDusen (2017), the Joint Commission has made communication between healthcare workers a patient safety goal in an effort to reduce medical errors” (para. 3).
Nurses should be able to coordinate care, expedite patient transitions of care, and mobilize hospital resources without having to constantly be looking for team members to make this happen. Communication technologies such as smartphones, iPads, EHRs, computers on wheels (COWS) and Vocera devices can help facilitate coordination of care between the nurse and the interprofessional team members, cultivating a sense of connection, collaboration, and teamwork.
Smartphones and Vocera badge allow for two-way communication. This allows for instant support, feed-back and team-building. Having a two-way communication allows the clinician to contact a team member while staying with the patient, instead of having to physically find the team member. According to a study, a nurse can save 2.5 hours in a 12-hour shift by using smartphones. This can help reduce physical fatigue and burnout. Considerations must be given to patient confidentiality and privacy when using these devices (Zysk, 2018).
These communication platforms allow the nurse to reach out to the MD who has not entered notes in the EHR, call the blood bank to find out if blood a type and screen is
needed for a patient, or contact the pharmacy department to see if a medication is ready for pick up.
Communication technologies used along with interprofessional collaboration can help improve patient care and outcomes, reduce medical errors, start treatment faster, reduce inefficiencies and healthcare costs, and improve staff relationships and job satisfaction (Tigerconnect, 2021).
References
Tigerconnect. (2021). 5 benefits of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare.
Zysk, T. (2017, June 22). Hospital communication and coordination challenges and solutions. Live Process.
Zysk T. (2018, September 18). Nursing communication tools: 5 benefits of smartphones in hospitals.
RESPOND HERE (150 WORDS, 2 REFERENCES)
Hello,
I agree with you that effective communication among interdisciplinary teams is key to promoting efficient effective care that is devoid of clinical errors and avoids duplication of roles. A two-way communication allows sharing of feedback and taking action on the feedback hence promote multidisciplinary teams approach in care. Multidisciplinary teams’ approach and collaboration have been credited with carrying out delicate medical operations that have achieved great acclaim among the medical practitioners (Taberna et al., 2020). How do can effective and timely communication among members of theses teams be enhanced?