4010 Paper 1 CASE STUDY 2

For this assessment you will create a 5–10 minute video reflection that addresses the case study on interprofessional collaboration presented
below.

imagine that you are a nurse on the team and you have been assigned to talk to members of the team prior to making the video reflection that you will share with the team and leadership where you will make recommendations to improve interprofessional collaboration

After you have thoroughly reviewed the case study below, return to the detailed instructions to complete your assessment. Feel free to refer back to this case study as you complete your assessment

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Case Study:

Interprofessional Collaboration for Palliative Care

in a Hospice Setting

Palliative care is an approach that focuses on improving the quality of life for patients with life limiting illnesses and their families. Interprofessional collaboration is essential to ensure that patients receive holistic care that addresses their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This case study explores the interprofessional collaboration experience for palliative care in a hospice setting.

The hospice in this case study serves a diverse population of patients with life-limiting illnesses. The interprofessional team includes physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and volunteers who work together to provide holistic care to patients and their families. The team provides ongoing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses, including symptom management, emotional support, and spiritual care.

The following are the responses when you asked each provider where the team could improve its interprofessional collaboration.

DR. EMILY RICHARDSON, Chief Physician. Dr. Richardson oversees the medical care of patients in the hospice. She diagnoses, prescribes treatments, and manages the medical needs of patients, ensuring their comfort and addressing any health complications.

“I’m so glad you’re looking into what we can do to work together more efficiently and offer our patients more support. With the kind of work we do, challenges are inevitable, aren’t they?

“First off: communication issues. Remember last week when Mr. Magalski was having those severe pain episodes? I prescribed a change in his pain management regimen, but somehow the message didn’t get through to the evening shift in time. He had to endure unnecessary pain for hours. It’s moments like these that make me realize how vital clear communication is

“Mr. Magalski’s case also makes me think about the strain of the ethical dilemmas we often face. His family was divided on whether to continue with aggressive treatments or focus solely on comfort measures. I had a long chat with his daughter, who wanted to try every possible treatment, while his son felt we should prioritize his comfort. Mr. Magalski’s daughter started crying and yelling at me—and I totally understand why. I tried to offer comfort, but I wish I’d thought to involve Elijah or Martin in that conversation. I’ll be honest: it was hard on me. I was off my game the rest of the day. And I think Elijah or Martin would have had better tools to help Mr. Magalski’s kids through that tough conversation.

“But you know, despite these challenges, I genuinely believe our team is doing an incredible job. We just need to keep the lines of communication open and support each other.

NURSE CLARA MITCHELL, Senior Palliative Care Nurse. Nurse Mitchell provides direct nursing care to patients, ensuring their comfort and well-being. She administers medications, monitors patients’ health, provides symptom management, and offers emotional support to both patients and their families.

I’m glad you’re bringing this up—you always have a way of asking the tough questions, don’t you? We’ve been through so much together, and I think it’s important to go at these challenges head-on.

“Emotional burnout has been on my mind lately. Just last month, after we lost Mrs. Garcia, I felt so drained. She reminded me so much of my own grandmother, and it hit me hard. I know we’re trained to handle these situations, but sometimes the emotional toll sneaks up on you. I took a couple of days off, but coming back, I could see that many of us were feeling the weight of it. We need to find better ways to support each other emotionally, especially when we have back-to-back tough cases.

“And then there’s the whole issue of coordination of care. Remember when Mr. Patel was admitted, and there was that mix-up with his medication? Thankfully, it didn’t cause any severe complications, but it was a wake-up call. We have so many hands on deck, 3 which is great, but we need to ensure that everyone is in sync, especially when it comes to medication and treatment plans.”

“I like to think challenges like these only make us stronger, right? And I couldn’t ask for a better team to face them with. What do you think? Any ideas how we could improve things around here?”

CHAPLAIN ELIJAH BROOKS, Spiritual Care Coordinator. Chaplain Brooks offers spiritual support and guidance to patients and their families. He provides spiritual counseling, conducts religious or spiritual rituals as per patients’ beliefs, and offers comfort during end-of-life transitions.

“Always digging deep, aren’t you? It’s good, though. We need to reflect on these things to serve our patients better. Let’s take a moment, shall we?

“One of the big challenges I’ve seen is that we need more training and education across the team. Last month, I had a conversation with Nurse Jenna about a patient’s spiritual needs, and I realized she wasn’t familiar with some of the basic spiritual care practices that can be integrated into nursing care. It’s not her fault, of course. But it made me think about how we might benefit from more integrated training initiatives where we all learn a bit about each other’s roles. It would help bridge the gap and ensure our patients receive holistic care.”

“And then there’s the challenge of resource limitations. I remember wanting to organize a spiritual retreat for some of our patients and their families. The idea was to provide them with a serene environment where they could find some peace and spiritual solace. But due to budget constraints, we had to scale it down significantly. It’s disheartening at times, knowing what could benefit our patients but being limited by budgets and dollars.”

“I must say, even with these challenges, the dedication and compassion I see in this team every day is unparalleled. We’re doing our best for our patients, and that’s what matters. How have your conversations with the others been?”

SOPHIA MARTINEZ, Hospice Volunteer. Ms. Martinez assists the hospice team in providing comfort and support to patients. She engages patients in therapeutic activities, offers companionship, and assists with non-medical tasks to enhance patients’ well-being.

“It’s always so great to talk to you! I’ve learned so much just by watching how you work with our patients. I have some thoughts on our team, even though I’m still sort of learning the ropes here.

“One thing I’ve noticed is the documentation and information sharing aspect. Since I’m not always here every day, sometimes I feel a bit out of the loop. Like when I was with Mr. Chen last week, I tried to get him interested in a music therapy session, not knowing that he had a particularly rough night. If I’d known, I might have approached the situation differently, maybe just sat with him or asked him about his grandchildren. It’s essential for volunteers like me to be kept in the loop, so we can adjust our approach accordingly

“Another challenge, from my perspective, is I’m not always sure what I’m supposed to do. When Mrs. Allen was admitted, I wanted to help set up her room and make her comfortable, but I wasn’t sure if that was stepping on anyone’s toes or if I was overstepping my boundaries as a volunteer. I think clearer guidelines on what each of us can and should do would be helpful, especially for newer volunteers like me.

“I hope this feedback helps—I really admire the work you do, and I always want to learn more and contribute more. Your guidance means a lot to me, especially since I hope to follow in your footsteps one day.