Nurse leaders in a local hospital created a neurotrauma (NT) unit healthcare team focused on improving outcomes for their stroke clients
This team includes acute care nurses, physicians, other care partners (e.g., physical therapists, social workers, case managers, dieticians), and representatives from the NT outpatient clinic. This team is led by a physician who makes treatment decisions based on the treatment plans developed by individual team members who each communicate with the clients, asking the same or similar questions to obtain data needed for their treatment plan. Which type of communication and action is represented in the scenario described?
A) Parallel communication
B) Parallel functioning
C) Information exchange
D) Coordination and consultation
E) Co-management and referral
Answer: A
The type of communication and action used by this healthcare team is parallel communication. It is at the lowest level along the continuum of communication and collaboration among health team members and is characterized by each professional communicating with the client independently, asking the same or similar questions needed to develop their plan of care. The next level up on the continuum of communication and collaboration, but not described in this scenario, is parallel functioning. Here, communication is more coordinated, but each professional still develops separate interventions and care plans. In parallel functioning, the exchange of information among team members is more structured and planned, but decision making is unilateral and does not involve much collegiality. The actions of this NT team do not demonstrate coordination and consultation or co-management and referral, the two highest levels of communication and collaborative action. The higher levels of communication and collaboration characterize interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams; the lower level of communication characterizes multidisciplinary teams.
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