ELDER Project

Fairfield University School of Nursing

Session One

Teams and Teamwork

Objectives: Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to…

  1. Discuss the elements of collaborative practice.
  2. Identify the need for and importance of collaboration and interdisciplinary teams.
  3. Describe the different types of teams.

Pre-test tool:What is your Interdisciplinary IQ?

(See GITT Kit Topic 1 – page 6)

Optional -- Completed prior to session meeting:

  1. Extract themes
  2. Discuss how they differ from conventional medical practice and elder care.

*Use flip chart to write down themes generated from the group.

*Tool can be used as post-test to evaluate acquired knowledge

Activity:“Tower Building”…………………………………………..…………..20 minutes

See separate handout for exercise description and directions

Randomly assign groups of four or less participants to build the tallest tower they can. They have 10 minutes to plan their design and 2 minutes to actually build it.

Debriefing:………………..………………...……………………………………...20 minutes

  1. Questions to direct the debriefing session:
  2. What roles did the participants take on?
  3. How did they communicate?
  4. What went well?
  5. What could have gone better?
  6. Did the group work well together?
  7. How was the team structured? Who was on the team?
  8. Was the outcome accomplished?
  9. What was the process like?
  10. Did people take on roles? Did a leader emerge?
  11. Discuss terms:
  12. Team
  13. Collaboration: elements involved that each group exhibited
  14. Types of teams

Point of emphasis--When you concentrate on the goal, the nitpicking goes away.

Content:.…………………………………………………………………………….20 minutes

Power point handout to be included in participants’ notebooks

  1. Teams
  • Definition: ask participants what how they define a team
  • Purpose: achieve results with patients that individuals within the team cannot achieve in isolation
  • Collaboration: process of shared planning, decision making, accountability and responsibility in the care of the patient
  • Effects of improved technology and increased care needs of the elder population
  • Complex plans of care
  • Need for accurate and specific information for decision making in the treatment plan
  • Collaborative practice:
  • Effective communication
  • Trust
  • Mutual respect
  • Understanding of other’s skills
  • Efficient
  • Good use of resources
  • Appropriate referrals
  • Expected outcomes
  1. Types of Teams
  • Unidisciplinary: group of people from the same discipline who work together
  • Multidisciplinary: group of people from different disciplines who develop treatment plans independently.
  • Independent assessments
  • Independent implementation of own plan
  • Physician orders services and coordinates care
  • Lack of collaboration/commitment
  • Inconsistent patient care
  • Lack of cohesion
  • Interdisciplinary: group of people from different disciplines who assess and plans care in a collaborative manner
  • Common goal
  • Interdependent, complimentary care
  • Coordinated care
  • Joint decision-making
  • Members feel empowered
  • Leadership role changes dependant on patient needs and expertise
  1. Effective Team Requirements
  2. Use of rules
  3. Leadership
  4. Respect for one another’s expertise

Conclusion:

Why are collaborative care and the Interdisciplinary Team important in the care of the older adult?

Older adults are growing in number and face chronic and acute medical and psychosocial problems that may be too complex for one provider to handle alone. Using a group of providers can enhance the care plan and provide knowledge from multiple disciplines. As providers work together, the patient will have important issues addressed in a comprehensive and integrated care plan.

GITT Resource Center of the John A. Hartford Foundation Geriatric Interdisciplinary Team Training Program. (2003). GITT. New York: New York