Question 1

The nurse is presenting an in-service on the importance of collaborative communication. The nurse includes which critical event identified by the Joint Commission as an outcome of poor communication among health care team members?

Accepted Answer

The Joint Commission has identified that poor communication is the primary factor in the occurrence of sentinel events, or events resulting in unintended death or serious injury to patients. Lack of documentation, longer time to begin surgery, and increased delays in discharge all contribute to the management of health care, but do not result in critical patient outcomes.

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a patient with a progressive, degenerative muscle illness. The patient states that she would like to remain in her home with her daughter as long as possible. What action should the nurse take?

Accepted Answer

To honor the patient's request to stay at home the nurse should make appropriate referrals for needed evaluation and assistance. Most nurses will not have the expertise to teach appropriate exercises for degenerative illness. Asking the patient to move to an assisted-living facility does not account for the patient's request. The patient has not been assessed for the need of daily therapy, and it is not likely that a patient with a degenerative illness will be able to make daily appointments for treatment as the illness progresses.

Question 3

Which patient scenario describes the best example of professional collaboration?

Accepted Answer

Professional collaboration includes team management and referral to needed providers to meet patient needs. Each discipline retains responsibility for their own scope of practice but recognizes the expertise of other providers. Working separately does not develop a comprehensive plan of care. Casual mentioning of patient needs does not follow professional communication channels and frequently delays needed interventions.

Question 4

Which statement correctly describes the nurses' role in collaboration?

Accepted Answer

Nurses collaborate with many different persons, including patients, managers, educators, and researchers. Collaboration does not occur only with physicians or nurses of equivalent educational background, but with anyone who is working towards meeting patient goals. Collaboration occurs in any health care setting as well as community and home settings.

Question 5

The nurse and physician are explaining that home care that will be needed by a patient after discharge. The patient's spouse states angrily that it will not be possible to provide the care recommended. What is the best response by the nurse?

Accepted Answer

The patient needs to be the focus of developing care plans, and communication is an important part of collaboration with the patient to discover barriers for the patient to follow recommendations. It is important to either provide solutions to the barriers or present other options. Reviewing the care again does not demonstrate willingness to have the patient be part of the team. Insisting that the patient do what is prescribed is autocratic and does not recognize the role the patient has in their care. Leaving the patient and spouse with the situation unresolved fosters distrust and more anger.

Question 6

A newly licensed nurse is assigned to an experienced nurse for training on a medical unit of a hospital. What type of nurse-to-nurse collaboration does this assignment demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Mentoring is a collaborative partnership between a novice nurse and an expert nurse to help transition a nurse through career development, personal growth, and socialization into the profession. Interprofessional collaboration is working with several disciplines. Shared governance is a type of management for nursing. Interorganizational collaboration often includes teams from inside and outside an organization to meet a common goal.

Question 7

A patient has been admitted to an acute care hospital unit. The nurse explains the hospital philosophy that the patient be an active part of planning their care. The patient verbalizes understanding of this request when they make which statement?

Accepted Answer

Treatment plans need to be developed, evaluated, and adapted as needed based on the patient status and willingness to complete the prescribed care. Stating that the patient has to do whatever the care provider prescribes does not include the principle of collaboration. Care plans can be altered based on patient status. Insurance providers do not determine a patient's ability to complete prescribed care, although they do reimburse for standard care given.

Question 8

Which activities are appropriate for the nurse to collaborate with a patient? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Nurses should include patients and their families when exploring health promotion activities, end-of-life decisions, lifestyle changes, and treatment options. Prescribed medication doses are initiated by educated professionals, although the patient gives feedback on the effectiveness of medications. Patients are not trained to interpret lab results, but patients rely on health professionals to explain results to them.

Question 9

The management of a community hospital is trying to encourage a more collaborative environment among staff members. Which Chapter is most important for management to develop first?

Accepted Answer

Recognizing that collaboration needs all professions to provide patient-centered care is an important first step to implementing a different philosophy in the hospital. Posting an evaluation of performance before education will not encourage participation. Collaboration requires an understanding of more than your own discipline. It is unfair to evaluate staff on a requirement that they have not been introduced to.

Question 10

A nurse manager has recently overheard several negative comments made by nurses on the unit about other nurses on the unit. The manager recognizes that the nurses are exhibiting what type of behavior that is detrimental to collaboration?

Accepted Answer

Lateral violence undermines collaboration and occurs nurse-to-nurse. Vertical or descending violence implies one participant has a higher status than another. Personal violence falls in a legal category, and while it will hinder collaboration, it is not specific to coworkers.

Quiz 46: Collaboration