FUNDAMENTALS OF

NURSING PRACTICE
COLLABORATION
TERMINOLOGIES
COLLABORATIVE HEALTH CARE
 A comprehensive care provided to the clients
through the collaborative efforts and expertise
of each member of health team.
PARTNERSHIP
 A collaborative relationship between two or Fig. 1 Model of an integrated health care delivery system made
more parties based on trust, equality, and possible by partnerships between individuals, agencies or
mutual understanding for the achievement of institutions (Adapted from Kozier & Erbs Fundamentals of Nursing
10th ed)
a specified goal.
COLLABORATION
COLLABORATION
 As defined by ANA, (1992) refers to the
 Collaboration, as defined by ANA, (1992)
collegial working relationship with another
refers to the collegial working relationship with
health care provider in the provision of patient
another health care provider in the provision
care.
of patient care. The collaborative practice, it
Increasing population, new diseases arising and
says, may include the discussion of patient
health care needs becoming more complex are
diagnosis and cooperation in the
just but a few of the factors that also brought forth
management and delivery of care. Each
a growing number of health practitioners
collaborator has to make himself/ herself
specializing on specific areas of expertise. Thus,
available to the other for consultation either in
the overall health of an individual may not rest
person or by any communication device not
solely on a single health practitioner alone but may
necessitating physical presence at the time
necessitate what we may refer to as collaborative
the actions are performed. The over-all
health care within which the nurse plays a
direction and management of patient care is
significant role. It is in this regard that nurses need
the responsibility of the patient-designated
to understand fully the concepts of partnership,
health care provider.
collaboration and teamwork.
PARTNERSHIP
.
 Partnership is a collaborative relationship
between two or more parties based on trust,
equality, and mutual understanding for the
achievement of a specified goal.
 Another concept that is clearly related to
partnership formation is “twinning” as coined
by the Tropical Health Education Trust
(THET), who defines the concept as "the
establishment of a formal link between a
specified department/institution.....and a
corresponding department/institution ...., to
facilitate an accurate assessment of need and
consequently to ensure effective mutual
collaboration at all levels."
 Partnerships are often formed to address
specific issues and may be short or long term.

Figure 2. Members of the health care team individualize care for the
client based on the expertise of their own discipline, Though there may
be areas of overlapping, these can be eased through collaboration and
teamwork. (Adapted from Kozier & Erb’s Fundamentals of Nursing, 10th
edition)

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TEAMWORK
 Teamwork is when two or more people are
interacting interdependently with a common
purpose, working toward measurable goals
that benefit from leadership that maintains
stability while encouraging honest discussion
and problem solving.
 In a health care setting, health teams are
often made up of a variety of professionals,
each one having specialized knowledge and
responsible for different tasks (doctors,
nurses, health professionals from different
specialties).
Common Principles Related to these three
concepts are as follows:
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
 This involves commitment of both parties to
meet regularly, understand each other’s
professional roles and appreciating each other
as individuals, sensitivity to differences in their
communication styles yet being focused on a
common ground: the client’s needs.
CLEAR ROLES AND EXPECTATIONS
 Must be related to team member’s functions,
responsibilities, and accountabilities, thus
optimizing the team’s efficiency through
division of labor.
MUTUAL RESPECT AND TRUST
 Mutual respect is when two or more people
show or feel honor or esteem toward one
another.
 Trust is confidence in the actions of another
person which must expressed verbally and
non- verbally. Both can be attained through
openness and honesty.
SHARED GOALS
 There must be a clear purpose that are
mutually agreed upon by the group, which
should reflect patient and family priorities, and
can be clearly articulated, understood, and
supported by all team members.
MEASURABLE PROCESSES AND OUTCOMES
 These include the protocols and procedures
necessary for orderly and systematic delivery
of care thus, providing a means for reliable
and timely feedback on successes and
failures in both the functioning of the team
and achievement of the team’s goals.
DECISION MAKING
 Involves shared responsibility of the team for
the outcome. An important aspect is for the
interdisciplinary team to focus on the client’s
priority needs and organizing interventions
accordingly.

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Nurses also play the role of collaborators, them being part of the health care team. Therefore, they must
develop this competency as they assume their professional practice. The importance of the concepts of
collaboration and teamwork had been given emphasis with their inclusion in the Key Areas of Responsibility
for BSN graduates (CHED Memo. No. 5, Series of 2008) with the corresponding core competencies that
every nurse should demonstrate. To cite:
KEY AREA OF CORE COMPETENCIES INDICATORS
RESPONSIBILITY
11.Collaboration 1. Establishes collaborative * Contributes to decision making
and Teamwork relationship with colleagues regarding patients’ needs and
and other members of the concerns
health team * Participates actively in patient
care management including
audit
* Recommends appropriate
intervention to improve patient
care
* Respects the role of other
members of the health team
* Maintains good interpersonal
relationship with patients,
colleagues and other members
of the health team
2. Collaborates plan of care * Refers patients to allied health
with other members of the team
health team partners
* Acts as liaison/advocate of the
patient
* Prepares accurate
documentation for
efficient communication of
services

These were further emphasized under the Program Outcomes for BSN , CHED Memo No.
15, Series of 2017. As cited:
PROGRAM OUTCOMES PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
7. Collaborate effectively with inter-, intra-, a) Ensure intra- agency, inter-agency, multi-
and multi- disciplinary and multi-cultural disciplinary and sectoral collaboration in the delivery
teams of health care
b) Implement strategies, approaches to
enhance/support the capability of client/care
providers to participate in decision making by the
inter professional team
c) Maintain a harmonious and collegial relationship
among members of the health team for effective,
efficient, and safe client care
d) Coordinate the tasks/ functions of other nursing
personnel (midwife, BHW and utility worker)
e) Collaborate with other members of the health team
in the implementation of programs and services.
f) Apply principles of partnership and collaboration to
improve delivery of health services
g) collaborate with GOs, NGOs, and other socio- civic
agencies to improve health care services, support
environment protection policies and strategies, and
safety and security mechanisms in the community
h) Participate as a member of a quality team in
implementing the appropriate quality improvement
process on identified improvement opportunities
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