Interview and Interdisciplinary Issue Identification

Interview Summary
In the interview, I spoke with a registered nurse working at a mid-sized hospital in an urban area, who has been with the organization for over ten years. The nurse’s primary responsibilities include patient care, coordination with other healthcare professionals, and participation in hospital committees aimed at improving patient outcomes. The healthcare organization, while generally effective in its operations, has been facing significant challenges related to interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly in managing complex patient cases. The interviewee highlighted that the organization’s leadership had made several attempts to address these issues, such as implementing team-building exercises and fostering communication among different departments.
However, these efforts have had mixed results, with some improvements in teamwork but persistent issues in fully integrating different disciplinary perspectives. Moreover, the nurse also mentioned that the organizational culture is somewhat siloed, which has hindered effective interdisciplinary collaboration. Despite these challenges, the interviewee shared a positive experience working on an interdisciplinary team that managed a critical patient case, noting that the collaboration was successful largely due to the individual efforts of team members rather than any formal organizational strategy. Therefore, this highlighted the need for a more structured and evidence-based approach to interdisciplinary collaboration within the organization. Moreover, the interviewee expressed optimism that with the right leadership strategies and training, the organization could overcome these challenges and significantly improve patient outcomes through better interdisciplinary collaboration (Warren & Warren, 2023).
Issue Identification
Firstly, from the interview, it became evident that the primary issue within the organization is the lack of effective interdisciplinary collaboration. This issue is particularly critical in managing complex patient cases that require input from multiple healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers. Moreover, the interviewee pointed out that while there are efforts to encourage collaboration, the existing approach is not sufficiently structured or evidence-based, leading to inconsistent outcomes (Alkhaqani, 2023). As we know, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary to address this issue because it allows for the integration of diverse perspectives and expertise, which is essential in managing complex healthcare cases.
Furthermore, an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach could help standardize the processes and strategies used across different teams, ensuring that all professionals are aligned in their efforts to improve patient outcomes (Ovsepyan et al., 2023). This approach would enhance the effectiveness of care and reduce the stress and workload on individual healthcare providers by distributing responsibilities more evenly across the team (Bornman & Louw, 2023). Therefore, addressing this issue through an interdisciplinary approach is crucial for the organization to achieve its goal of providing high-quality patient care.
Change Theories That Could Lead to an Interdisciplinary Solution
Therefore, to develop an interdisciplinary solution to the identified issue, several change theories could be relevant. One such theory is Lewin’s Change Management Model consisting of three stages: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. Lewin’s Change Management Model is particularly useful in healthcare settings as it emphasizes the importance of preparing the organization for change (unfreezing), implementing the change (changing), and ensuring that the change is sustained over time (refreezing). Moreover, in the context of improving interdisciplinary collaboration, Lewin’s model could help the organization gradually transition from its current siloed culture to one that promotes and supports interdisciplinary teamwork (Alkhaqani, 2023). The unfreezing stage would involve raising awareness among healthcare professionals about the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration, possibly through training sessions or workshops. The changing stage would focus on implementing new strategies for collaboration, such as structured interdisciplinary team meetings or joint problem-solving sessions. Finally, the refreezing stage would ensure that these changes are embedded into the organizational culture, perhaps by incorporating interdisciplinary collaboration into performance evaluations or rewarding teams that demonstrate effective collaboration (Warren & Warren, 2023).
Another relevant change theory is Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model, which emphasizes the need for strong leadership and a clear vision to guide the change process. Thus, Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model could be particularly effective in addressing the leadership challenges identified in the interview, as it provides a framework for leaders to create urgency around the need for change, build a guiding coalition, and generate short-term wins to build momentum. By following Kotter’s model, the organization could improve interdisciplinary collaboration and foster a culture of continuous improvement where teamwork and collaboration are valued and rewarded (Barriers and Enablers, 2023).
Leadership Strategies That Could Lead to an Interdisciplinary Solution
Effective leadership is the key to any successful interdisciplinary initiative. One leadership strategy that could be beneficial in this context is transformational leadership, which focuses on motivating the team to achieve a common goal. Transformational leaders are known for their ability to foster a positive work environment with strong collaboration, which is essential for successful interdisciplinary collaboration (Yopa et al., 2023). By adopting a transformational leadership approach, the organization’s leaders could inspire healthcare professionals from different disciplines to work together more effectively, breaking down silos and promoting a more integrated approach to patient care. Therefore, this strategy could be implemented through regular team-building activities, recognition programs for successful collaborations, and continuous professional development opportunities that emphasize the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork (Bornman & Louw, 2023).
Likewise, shared leadership could be relevant to this case, as leadership responsibilities are distributed among team members rather than concentrated in a single individual. Shared leadership has been shown to be effective in interdisciplinary teams, as it allows for a more democratic approach to decision-making and encourages team members to take ownership of their work. Moreover, in the context of the organization, shared leadership could help to ensure that all team members, regardless of their discipline, have a voice in the decision-making process and are actively involved in the implementation of collaborative strategies. Therefore, this approach could also help to build trust within the team, which is essential for successful interdisciplinary collaboration (Warren & Warren, 2023).
Collaboration Approaches for Interdisciplinary Teams
In addition to leadership strategies, several collaboration approaches from the literature could help establish or improve interdisciplinary teams within the organization. One such approach is the use of structured interdisciplinary rounds (SIRs), where healthcare professionals from different disciplines meet regularly to discuss patient cases and develop a coordinated care plan. Furthermore, SIRs have been shown to improve communication and collaboration among team members, which leads to better patient outcomes and improved job satisfaction among healthcare providers. Thus, implementing SIRs within the organization could help to formalize the process of interdisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that all team members are on the same page and working towards a common goal (Barriers and Enablers, 2023).
Moreover, use of interprofessional education (IPE) programs will provide healthcare professionals with an opportunity to learn about and from each other in a structured setting. This approach has been shown to improve teamwork and collaboration among healthcare professionals and enhance their understanding of each other’s roles and responsibilities. By incorporating IPE into the organization’s professional development programs, the organization could help to break down barriers between disciplines and foster a more collaborative culture (Ovsepyan et al., 2023). This approach could be particularly effective in addressing the siloed culture identified in the interview, as it would encourage healthcare professionals to view collaboration as an essential part of their work rather than an additional task (Warren & Warren, 2023).
In conclusion, addressing the issue of ineffective interdisciplinary collaboration within the healthcare organization is crucial for improving patient outcomes. The interview with the registered nurse revealed that despite efforts to foster collaboration, the current strategies are insufficiently structured and evidence-based, leading to inconsistent results. To overcome this, implementing Lewin’s Change Management Model could facilitate a smooth transition from a siloed culture to one that embraces interdisciplinary teamwork by raising awareness and integrating collaboration into organizational practices. Moreover, Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model emphasizes the importance of leadership in creating urgency and guiding change, which could address the leadership challenges observed. Furthermore, adopting transformational and shared leadership strategies can inspire and empower healthcare professionals, breaking down barriers and enhancing teamwork. Likewise, structured interdisciplinary rounds and interprofessional education programs are practical approaches that can formalize and improve collaborative practices within the organization. Therefore, implementing these change theories and leadership strategies can foster a more cohesive and effective interdisciplinary team, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes.

 
References
Alkhaqani, A. L. (2023). Communication and teamwork as a nursing competence: Facilitating and impediments aspects. Journal of Medical Research and Reviews. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372442724_Communication_and_teamwork_as_a_nursing_competence_Facilitating_and_impediments_aspects
Bornman, J., & Louw, B. (2023). Leadership development strategies in interprofessional healthcare collaboration: A rapid review. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 15, 175–192. https://doi.org/10.2147/JHL.S405983
Ovsepyan, H., Chuang, E., Brunner, J., Hamilton, A. B., Needleman, J., Heilemann, M. S., Canelo, I., & Yano, E. M. (2023). Improving primary care team functioning through evidence-based quality improvement: A comparative case study. Healthcare, 11(2), 100691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hjdsi.2023.100691
Warren, J. L., & Warren, J. S. (2023). The case for understanding interdisciplinary relationships in health care. Ochsner Journal, 23(2), 94-97. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10262946/
Yopa, D. S., Massom, D. M., Kiki, G. M., Sophie, R. W., Fasine, S., Thiam, O., Zinaba, L., & Ngangue, P. (2023). Barriers and enablers to the implementation of one health strategies in developing countries: A systematic review. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1252428