Implementing an interdisciplinary healthcare quality project

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality improvement
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Dental hygiene
• Nursing practice

Background:

• Effective collaboration among healthcare professionals is crucial for quality improvement initiatives.
• Assessing oral hygiene in long-term care settings presents unique challenges.
• Integrating different healthcare disciplines can lead to more holistic patient evaluations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the collaborative process between nursing and dental services for assessing oral hygiene in long-term care patients.
• To evaluate the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration in a quality improvement project.
• To identify factors that optimize interdisciplinary teamwork.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project involving nursing and dental services at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
• Assessment and evaluation of oral hygiene practices among 120 long-term care patients.
• Focus on enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration through representation, communication, and feedback.

Main Results:

• Enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration was achieved through clear communication and shared goals.
• The project resulted in a more comprehensive and holistic evaluation of patients' oral hygiene.
• Improved communication, rapport, and patient care indicators were observed between nursing and dental services.

Conclusions:

• Interdisciplinary collaboration between nursing and dental services significantly benefits oral hygiene assessment in long-term care.
• Optimized collaboration leads to improved patient care evaluation and inter-professional understanding.
• This model demonstrates the value of teamwork in enhancing healthcare quality.