How Collaborative Practice is Achieved
Collaborative practice is not routinely taught since health care providers are usually educated with their own discipline/profession, and graduate with their own discipline/professional values, language, and ways of approaching care. For members of a team to collaborate, it is important to have a common language and understanding of Collaborative Practice.
For the purpose of this module, Collaborative Practice will be described as:
(Way, Jones Discussion Paper 2000)
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Key
Concepts in Definition
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Inter-professional |
“professional” in this definition is considered inclusive of both
regulated and non-regulated health care providers. Working together exposes team members to
the thoughts and perspectives of the other health care providers on the team. |
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Process |
collaborative practice is
dynamic and flexible, and has a purpose, e.g. improved patient care. |
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Separate and shared knowledge
and skills |
the purpose is achieved by
allowing providers to contribute their separate (unique) and shared
(overlapping) knowledge and skills to the client/patient focused plan of
care. |
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Synergistically |
being exposed to other health
care providers' thoughts and perspectives on client/patient care allows for
more comprehensive care and unique solutions. |
This definition could be applied to any setting, be it community or institution.
Collaborative Practice is achieved by
understanding the shared and separate (overlapping and unique) contributions
provided by each member of the health care team in the development of a focused
plan of care for the patient. Collaborative relationships are based on provider
equity, that is, they are not hierarchical or dependent on supervision of one
group by another.