Introduction:
Interprofessional teamwork is at the forefront of providing complete patient care in the constantly changing healthcare landscape. Recently, I had the chance to have an in-depth discussion with a medical expert who worked in the inpatient cardiac unit of a nearby hospital. This reflective piece aims to examine the lessons learned from the interview with the Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist and contrast them with the results of the Team Orientation and Performance Survey (TOPS), which evaluates the interprofessional development within the cardiology unit.
Analysis of the interview
The Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialists characterized their professional function as being largely focused on providing education, counseling, and activity plans for cardiac patients. After heart attacks or surgeries, they closely collaborate with patients to help them regain their physical health. To guarantee coordinated patient care, they must collaborate with other medical specialists, such as APRNs and nurses (Thomas & Huang, 2019).
To land this job, the interviewee earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and cardiac rehabilitation certifications. In order to stay up to date with the rapidly changing field of cardiology, they underlined the significance of continual education.
They perform individual evaluations, direct exercise classes, and counsel patients. To develop individualized treatment plans for each patient, they collaborate with nurses, APRNs, and cardiologists (Taylor et al., 2022).
It is interesting to note that the interviewee’s decision to pursue a profession in cardiology was motivated by personal experience with a family member’s cardiac condition. This close personal connection stoked their desire to support cardiac patients in their recovery and raise their quality of life.
The Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist emphasized the benefits of engagement with APRNs and nurse practitioners. They underlined that for patients to obtain thorough care, efficient communication, and teamwork with these specialists are crucial (Thomas & Huang, 2019). However, they also emphasized the necessity of more precise rules and requirements for interprofessional partnerships.
Collaboration might use some improvement, according to the interviewee, who noted that APRNs and nurse practitioners should be more aware of the responsibilities of a cardiac rehabilitation specialist (Audet et al., 2021). Greater collaboration might be possible with more defined roles and routes for communication in patient care.
Managing patient expectations was challenging for them in their work, particularly when patients wanted to return to their normal activities too soon. Other difficulties mentioned were dealing with patients who are disobedient and addressing the psychosocial components of treatment (Taylor et al., 2022). Witnessing patients make notable progress and regain their quality of life encourages them about their jobs. Each day, they are inspired by the good effects on patients.
Comparison of Insights and TOPS Results:
The TOPS results showed that the interprofessional team on the cardiology unit is collaborating at a high level. However, based on the insights from the interviews, there is space for improvement concerning role clarity and communication, particularly concerning the function of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Specialist.
Reflection
The interviewee’s overall good opinion of teamwork is consistent with the TOPS score, which is reflective. However, the interviewee’s comments highlighted specific areas that required improvement. As an APRN, I stress the importance of having defined roles, clear communication, and regular team meetings (Audet et al., 2021). I urge better education and awareness of the roles and contributions of different team members to enhance the interviewee’s experience working with the team and with APRNs.
Conclusion
Interprofessional cooperation is crucial to delivering thorough patient care, to sum up. The information obtained from the interview with the cardiac rehabilitation specialist highlights the necessity of continuous development in teamwork and communication among healthcare teams. By addressing these problems, cardiology can improve patient outcomes and guarantee that patients receive the best care. Collaboration is the key to efficient healthcare delivery; it is not just a trendy word.
Reference
Audet, L. A., Paquette, L., Bordeleau, S., Lavoie-Tremblay, M., & Kilpatrick, K. (2021). The association between advanced practice nursing roles and outcomes in adults following cardiac surgery: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 122, 104028.
Taylor, R. S., Dalal, H. M., & McDonagh, S. T. (2022). The role of cardiac rehabilitation in improving cardiovascular outcomes. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 19(3), 180–194.
Thomas, R. J., & Huang, H. H. (2019). Cardiac rehabilitation for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease: 2019 update. Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine, pp. 21, 1–8.
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