Conceptualizing collaboration in nursing.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Management
• Professional Collaboration

Background:

• Nurses require a clear definition of collaboration for effective practice.
• A conceptual definition aids nurse researchers in developing and validating measurement instruments.
• Collaboration in nursing encompasses communication, sharing, teamwork, and mutual respect.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a conceptual definition of collaboration in nursing.
• To identify and summarize instruments for measuring nursing collaboration.
• To provide case scenarios illustrating collaboration in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted across CINAHL, PubMed, and ERIC.
• Keywords included 'collaboration,' 'nursing,' 'concept analysis,' 'sharing,' 'respect,' and 'teamwork.'
• Walker and Avant's concept analysis method was utilized.

Main Results:

• Collaboration in nursing is defined as an intra- or interprofessional process where nurses form a team to address patient care or system issues.
• Team members respectfully share knowledge and resources.
• The Mayo High Performance Teamwork Scale (MHPTS) and Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (Team STEPPS) were identified as relevant instruments.

Conclusions:

• A clear conceptual definition of nursing collaboration is essential for practice and research.
• Validated instruments like MHPTS and Team STEPPS can measure collaboration effectively.
• Understanding collaboration enhances patient care and healthcare system problem-solving.