Original Research Exploring interprofessional collaboration in the intensive care unit

Meluleki S. Thethwayo, Pat Camp, Diane Van Staden, Verusia Chetty, Stacy Maddocks

South African Journal of Physiotherapy | Vol 80, No 1 | a2098 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajp.v80i1.2098 | © 2024 Meluleki S. Thethwayo, Pat Camp, Diane van Staden, Verusia Chetty, Stacy Maddocks | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 19 June 2024 | Published: 11 November 2024

About the author(s) Meluleki S. Thethwayo, Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Pat Camp, Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; and Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Diane Van Staden, Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; and Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada
Verusia Chetty, Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
Stacy Maddocks, Discipline of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; and Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Abstract

Background: Critical care units require an interprofessional management approach to optimise patients’ health. Clinical education and training delivered in remote healthcare settings are vital for fostering interprofessional collaboration (IPC) among health science students for future team functioning.

Objectives: Our study explored the IPC among clinicians in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting at two South African decentralised clinical training facilities to understand the existing collaborative practices that students are exposed to during their clinical training.

Method: A qualitative study design, utilising semi-structured interviews, was used to gather information on the experiences of 40 purposively selected participants working in the ICU settings at the two clinical sites. Data collected from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

Results: Four major themes were identified from the data, namely, scope-of-practice dispute, teamwork disruption, organisational obstacles and future aspirations.

Conclusion: Participants believed that a lack of professional regard by medical doctors and an inadequate understanding of the role of other professionals impeded appropriate referral practice and collaborative team functioning. Under-exposure to interprofessional education (IPE) at an undergraduate level and the pervasive medical hierarchy were perceived as a primary attributable cause of this phenomenon. Moreover, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and persistent staff shortages purportedly obstructed potential opportunities to collaborate in multidisciplinary meetings. Participants believed that improving undergraduate IPE and compulsory multidisciplinary meetings to promote communication would improve team functioning in these clinical settings.

Clinical Implications: Undergraduate IPE is a feasible approach to improve collaborative care in ICUs to achieve better patient outcomes.

Keywords

intensive care; interprofessional collaboration; interprofessional education; clinicians; COVID-19; multidisciplinary team

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

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