Ten principles of good interdisciplinary team work
Date
2013-05-10
Authors
Nancarrow, Susan A
Booth, Andrew
Ariss, Steven
Smith, Tony
Enderby, Pam
Roots, Alison
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Human Resources for Health
Abstract
Background: Interdisciplinary team work is increasingly prevalent, supported by policies and practices that bring care closer to the patient and challenge traditional professional boundaries. To date, there has been a great deal of emphasis on the processes of team work, and in some cases, outcomes.
Method: This study draws on two sources of knowledge to identify the attributes of a good interdisciplinary team; a published systematic review of the literature on interdisciplinary team work, and the perceptions of over 253 staff from 11 community rehabilitation and intermediate care teams in the UK. These data sources were merged using qualitative content analysis to arrive at a framework that identifies characteristics and proposes ten competencies that support effective interdisciplinary team work.
Results: Ten characteristics underpinning effective interdisciplinary team work were identified: positive leadership and management attributes; communication strategies and structures; personal rewards, training and development; appropriate resources and procedures; appropriate skill mix; supportive team climate; individual characteristics that support interdisciplinary team work; clarity of vision; quality and outcomes of care; and respecting and understanding roles.
Conclusions: We propose competency statements that an effective interdisciplinary team functioning at a high level should demonstrate.
Description
BioMed Central
Keywords
Interdisciplinary team work, Competencies, Intermediate care, Transitional care, Allied health, Systematic review, Evidence synthesis, Qualitative research
Citation
Nancarrow et al.: Ten principles of good interdisciplinary team work. Human Resources for Health 2013 11:19.