Optimizing Team Dynamics: An Assessment of Physician Trainees and Advanced Practice Providers Collaborative Practice

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Healthcare Management
• Medical Education

Background:

• Advanced practice providers (APPs) are increasingly common in intensive care units (ICUs).
• Optimal staffing models integrating APPs and physician trainees (residents and fellows) are not well-defined.
• Understanding these models is crucial for patient care and medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate ICU staffing models incorporating APPs and physician trainees.
• To assess the impact of these models on patient outcomes, resident/fellow education, and training.
• To identify strategies for enhancing collaboration among ICU team members.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, CINAHL, OVID MEDLINE, and Cochrane Review (2002-2015).
• Inclusion of experimental study designs conducted in an ICU setting.
• Data extraction by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

• 21 articles described ICU team structures and patient outcomes.
• 4 articles addressed the impact of APPs on resident/fellow education.
• 2 articles discussed strategies for APP-physician trainee collaboration.

Conclusions:

• Limited data exist on the impact of APPs on trainee education and collaboration strategies.
• Further research is needed to determine optimal ICU team structures for patient outcomes and trainee education.
• Developing methods to promote collaboration between APPs and physicians in training is essential.