Interprofessional Collaborative Practices in Chronic Kidney Disease Management

Running Head: EVIDENCE-BASED NURSING RESEARCH
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Evidence-Based Nursing Research
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EVIDENCE-BASED NURSING RESEARCH 2
Interprofessional collaborative practices
Introduction
Interprofessional collaborative practices can be described as practices by a multi-
disciplinary team of healthcare professionals who work together to manage the treatment and
care of a patient. The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative describes it as an alliance
between health care providers and the patient, where they all work in collaboration in decision
making processes regarding health concerns. It can also be defined as the process of decision-
making that incorporates health care professionals with different specialties and skills (Bridges et
al, 2011). The aim of interprofessional collaborative approaches is to provide optimal quality
care to patients. This paper will discuss the case scenario of a nephrology patient who is
diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, the interprofessional collaborative approaches required in
their care, the competencies related to use of a collaborative approach, evidence-based strategies
that would enhance interprofessional collaboration, outcomes of these strategies and implications
of collaboration practices on professional growth.
Case Scenario
An elder man of sixty diagnosed with chronic kidney failure and has a history of diabetes
mellitus and hypertension will be the focus of this paper. His care must be provided by an
interprofessional team to manage and treat his illness. Patients with chronic renal failure risk
developing other conditions like anemia, cardiac arrhythmia, hyperkalemia among other
conditions (Bartaula et al, 2019). They, therefore, need specialized care from a health care team
consisting of a nephrologist, general physician, a nutritionist and a cardiologist in some cases.

EVIDENCE-BASED NURSING RESEARCH 3
During my clinical experienced, I witnessed this man receive coordinated care from all these
health care professionals.
Chronic kidney disease comes with a huge burden of care, with patients spending more
time hospitalized. It is also associated with high healthcare costs and higher rates of premature
fatalities (St Peter, Farley, and Carter, 2011). In the hospital, the team involved in the care
included advanced practice nurses, dieticians, social workers, physicians, nephrologist and
pharmacists. The patient is also included in decision-making strategies regarding treatment
options and care. More focus is put on patient education and preparing them psychologically for
end-stage renal disease.
The relevance of CKD case study
Chronic kidney disease predisposes the patient to cardiovascular events, high economic
burden and poor health outcomes (Webster et al, 2016). For optimal management of CKD, an
interdisciplinary team has to work in collaboration both in and out of the healthcare setting. One
of the most significant areas in the management of CKD has been patient education, which is
usually extensive. The care for CKD patients has led to a discussion about interdisciplinary
clinics and their role in improving health outcomes for these patients. Their role is patient-
centered care of CKD patients through the collaboration of interprofessional health care workers
and preparation of patients for End-stage liver disease.
Nephrologists and other health care providers consult with each other and with the
patient with the aim of coming up with an effective care plan for the management of disease
through evidence-based guidelines. The complicated nature of CKD requires a team of

EVIDENCE-BASED NURSING RESEARCH 4
healthcare workers working together with the patient and the family to ensure the best patient
outcome.
Interprofessional collaborative framework
Key competencies of Interprofessional collaboration in CKD management used in this
paper include communication, Patient involvement, role clarification to avoid disputes in the
plan of care, Conflict Resolution, Team effort, Collaborative leadership, and reflection
(Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, n.a).
Communication involves efforts from every member of the interprofessional team to
provide updates in a timely manner. All the team member should be up to date with relevant
information about the patient and any medical findings that may impact their care. When
information is communicated in a timely manner, care providers are able to take relevant steps
towards patient care. Documentation is the most common mode of communication in a
healthcare setting. Team members should ensure all information regarding patient care is
updated in real time to allow easy access by other members.
Patient involvement refers to team collaboration that includes the patient and family in all
aspects of care. The interprofessional team should ensure that the patient’s goals, needs, and
values are put into consideration when making a plan of care. The patient is also encouraged to
be as independent as possible, while the family is encouraged to provide psychological,
emotional and physical support (Yang, et al, 2014). The health care team should ensure that the
environment they create for the client and family is safe and private where they feel at ease
sharing their needs and preferences, and where they receive trust and confidentiality. Every