Ten Principles of Good Interdisciplinary Team Work

Overview

Journal Hum Resour Health

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Health Services

Date 2013 May 14

PMID 23663329

Citations 123

Authors

Susan A Nancarrow

Andrew Booth

Steven Ariss

Tony Smith

Pam Enderby

Alison Roots

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

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.

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