Interdisciplinary Teams

Section One Paper: Interdisciplinary Teams According to Stille and Antonelli (2004), coordination of care is a critical function of pediatric primary care that may be best delivered using a team approach. Coordination of care is a holistic health care approach that is often delivered by a team of practitioners such as a physician, advanced practice nurse, school nurse, social worker, pharmacist, nutritionist, respiratory therapist, and others. Coordination is defined as “the state of being harmonized in a common action or effort” (Stille & Antonelli, 2004). The cases of Dewey Jones, Martha Ames, and Spike Smith are examples of interdisciplinary coordinated care. According to Cole (2008), your goal as a team member is to help your team achieve results, regardless of team member title. Each member of the health care team has a title or a role within the team such as: team leader, manager, or facilitator. Each member of the team brings valuable professional experience and perspective regarding patient care to the team. This makes each team member valuable, and when each team member’s experience and perspective is brought together, patient care is improved, and delivered in a more complete and holistic manner. Each team member also has a unique personality. Different personality styles often have strengths and weaknesses, so it is important that a team member is acting within a team role that best suits the needs and goals of them team. Team roles varied within the three cases of Dewey Jones, Martha Ames, and Spike Smith. According to Cole (2008), not only are there individual team member styles, but there are also team interactive styles. These styles are described in a team interaction model created by Russell (1986) and consist of the following styles: driver, enthusiast, analyzer, and affiliator. Assessments of these team styles will allow the team to understand variances in personalities as well as strengths and weakness of the team members.

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