Collaborative practice: a nursing perspective of the psychiatric interdisciplinary treatment team

The article describes the evolution of collaborative practice across the continuum of care of nurse members of two psychiatric interdisciplinary treatment teams in an inpatient mental health care unit and a psychiatric partial hospital program. The benefits and difficulties of the process are examined in the context of Bowen's family systems theory and a patient case study. There is evidence that patients on these two units have benefited from the improved communication and coordinated care arising from collaborative practice. The sharing of expertise, insights, and knowledge has led to individual professional and personal growth for members of the treatment teams.