What are some effective strategies for building interprofessional relationships?

On a given day, an individual in a healthcare setting may belong to several teams, which can lead to a lack of clarity in one’s role, diminishing learning capacity, and disengagement and burnout. Developing a shared understanding of why and what we are trying to accomplish together, fostering an environment of safe and respectful communication, and creating authentic room for inclusion of individual thoughts, ideas, competencies, and questions help toward trust in interprofessional relationships.

It's so easy to step on each other's toes when boundaries are not clear. In a team we all have complementary skills, and we are all there for one purpose - our patient. Others will respect me for my expertise, and I need to grant the same respect to others. Even if I believe that I know someone else's job better, the chances are that I don't have the whole picture, because I am not doing their job. I vividly remember one colleague telling another how to do their job - the second person ignored the first and did what they always do, much to the first person's annoyance! There is a skill in communicating the big picture and each other's needs of course, and sometimes this is needed, but fundamentally we need to respect each other's expertise.

Trabalhando com muitas pessoas ou sozinho, os relacionamentos s?o essenciais para todo tipo de profissional. Quem n?o é bom com pessoas, raramente conseguir estabelecer e manter relacionamentos interprofissionais. N?o dá para evitarmos pacientes, fornecedores, colegas de trabalho e assim por diante. Em todos os casos os relacionamentos devem ser efetivos. Uma qualidade importante é ser um bom ouvinte. Entender exatamente o que as pessoas esperam de nosso trabalho, é fundamental para fazê-lo bem feito. Também, se esfor?ar para prestar um bom servi?o a todos, e n?o somente os clientes, será um bom alicerce para ter ótimos relacionamentos.

It’s important to have a clear understanding of roles, responsibilities and scope of work within team. In addition, following pointers are valuable- 1. Practice empathy with colleagues. 2. Engage in casual conversations over coffee. 3. Don’t be judgemental. 4. Discuss conflicts constructively first, before raising or escalating up. 5. Appreciate others. 6. Celebrate successes.

Defining your role and scope is instrumental in fostering trust and mutual understanding. Within the context of my work, trust plays a crucial role, particularly when addressing sensitive and stigmatized issues within the Black community. By clearly articulating my role and scope, I establish a foundation of trust with both my colleagues and patients. They can rely on me to provide culturally competent care and to advocate for their unique needs. Mutual understanding is equally significant. It paves the way for open communication and collaboration. By outlining my role, my colleagues can better appreciate how I contribute to the team's objectives, while I, in turn, can understand their perspectives and adapt my approach accordingly.

Examples of engaging in this type of interprofessional education and training is to focus on transferable skills. Transferable skills include communication, employee engagement, teambuilding, and written documentation. Investing time, and/or money into these transferable skills will increase your ability to collaborate more cohesively, to communicate more effectively outside of your field of work, and will increase your own and others confidence in your competence.

Participating in interprofessional education and training can be highly beneficial when you focus on developing transferable skills such as effective communication, employee engagement, teambuilding, and written documentation. By dedicating time and resources to enhancing these skills, you can significantly improve your capacity to collaborate seamlessly, communicate effectively across professional boundaries, and boost both your own and your colleagues' confidence in your competence. This investment not only enriches your ability to work harmoniously in a diverse team but also strengthens your proficiency in essential areas that transcend your specific field of expertise.

My personal top tip here is team focused operating theatre debrief. For several years now, we end theatre lists with some kind of team based learning or activity designed to educate us or bring the team closer together. Examples include topic discussions, practical things, giving feedback to each other, and well-being check ins. This has converted the debrief activity from something to get done as quick as you can, into something that helps us all grow and develop.

Evoluir em conhecimento sempre será uma forma acertada de melhorar nossos relacionamentos interprofissionais, n?o só por conta de "algo novo" que iremos aprender, mas as pessoas que estar?o conosco nessa jornada de aprendizagem. Pessoas que se relacionam bem, sempre procuram estabelecer metas para o crescimento científico e intelectual. Engajar-se em educa??o é como programar uma viagem. A quest?o é que para viajarmos, precisamos definir um destino, um lugar que queremos chegar. Da mesma forma, estabelecer alvos, metas de aprendizagem irá fazermos "viajar" no conhecimento e o longo desse caminho, encontraremos outros passageiros conosco.

Emotional intelligence is critical in this exchange. The ability to empathise is crucial to building relationships. Being open to receiving feedback is equally important.

Simplicity in communication is a learned skill and an art form. It is both helpful and respectful to use words and terms that can explain the key message to the largest audience possible. Simplicity also allows for a quicker path to shared understanding and alignment with the intended goal. This same principle applies to presentation slides with acronyms – especially those that are used locally within the organization. Communication which can convey the complexity of the situation in a simple and easy-to-understand manner is elegant and a mark of servant leadership.

Good communication is a skill. But this is underpinned by attitude. If I see others as equal professionals, then this attitude of equality will manifest itself in respectful conversations. A coaching mindset can help here too. What's their agenda? What's their perspective? Deep listening can help me understand the other person better. Asking open non-judgemental questions like "how" and "what" (rather than the judgemental "why"), will elicit their perspectives. This way, I get to know what the other person's perspective is, and they feel listened to and taken seriously in the process. There may of course be some negotiation, but we now have a super strong basis for collaboration.

Ainda falando de viajar. A comunica??o também deve ser uma via de m?o dupla. Na estrada da vida, n?o podemos dirigir apenas reagindo às curvas que surgem ou pegando a estrada mais bonita sem saber para onde vamos. Na comunica??o, da mesma forma, n?o podemos ser reativos a tudo e a todos, como que, virando nosso volante e desviando de conversas, mas também n?o podemos falar coisas agradáveis apenas para encerrar um assunto. Assim como, em uma viagem, faz sentido analisar o percurso do caminho, as curvas, a paisagem antes de se aventurar por ela, na comunica??o, temos que analisar com cuidados nossas palavras e atitudes para manter um bom relacionamento.

In the realm of interprofessional collaboration, communication stands as the linchpin holding the entire system together. As a psychologist, I have often found that effective and respectful communication transcends mere professional jargon – it's about embracing diversity, acknowledging unique experiences, and fostering a sense of unity within the team. Clear and courteous language is a cornerstone of effective communication. However, for healthcare professionals like me, the use of such language extends beyond mere politeness. It involves recognizing the cultural and societal factors that influence a patient's perspective.

In healthcare we have complementary skills, but often we cannot do the job alone. A good example from my own practice is working with speech and language therapists. As an ENT surgeon I get to see the larynx, but don't necessarily know how the baby feeds. The speech and language therapist has a good understanding of how baby feeds, but doesn't see the anatomy. Together, we both have skills to help the patient. When it comes to developing new skills, both of us benefit from learning from each other. Working together then upskills us both.

Um outro aspecto na rela??o interprofissional é estar a disposi??o para apoiar e aprender. "Ninguém sabe tanto que n?o tenha algo para aprender, e nem ninguém, sabe t?o pouco que n?o possa ensinar" Tenho essa frase comigo há algumas décadas, n?o sem nem a origem e muito menos o autor, mas é uma verdade absoluta se queremos melhorar nossos relacionamentos profissionais.

Seeking interprofessional support is a transformative experience that has played a significant role in my professional journey. As a Black psychologist, I have encountered unique challenges and opportunities within the mental health field, which may not always be fully understood by my colleagues from different backgrounds. Seeking support from experienced professionals has allowed me to navigate these complexities more effectively. I've learned the importance of reaching out to mentors who understand the specific cultural and societal factors that influence my practice. They have offered insights and guidance on how to provide the best possible care to patients from the Black community, as well as how to advocate for their unique needs.

Participating in opportunities spanning different professional teams, whether it is for an organization-wide initiative (in my case a large school district) is an effective way of learning about the organization, determining how that learning can be applied to your own work, and to offer (not force) opportunities for partnership. Interprofessional interactions can also reveal duplication and inefficiencies in workflow, and being part of the group reducing those is also a great career move.

Participating in interprofessional activities and projects is vital in healthcare. It shows you're committed to teamwork and helps improve patient care. Join interprofessional teams, align roles, share ideas, and evaluate results. This involvement is more than just a strategy; it's about dedicated patient care and building strong professional connections.

Interprofessional projects often serve as a testament to the strength of collective efforts. They reflect the fusion of diverse skill sets and perspectives, each contributing to a greater whole. From my perspective as a Black psychologist, these projects provide a platform to address the unique mental health disparities faced by the Black community. Participating in projects that involve various healthcare professionals allows us to pool our expertise, knowledge, and resources to address complex issues. For instance, a project aimed at reducing mental health disparities in underserved communities might involve collaboration between psychologists, social workers, nurses, and physicians.

Volunteering in professional and community organizations enables us to grow leadership and skill sets, opportunities to be mentored and to mentor, and develop an excellent network. Volunteering can also hone and anchor our purpose, bring fulfillment to our lives, and make deeper connections with others. It is more interesting to be versatile in our activities. Through volunteering, I have made great friends, found fabulous places to visit, and put deeper roots into my community – and I continually learn, improve, and grow.

Here are a few more things to consider: Cultural Competence Training: Healthcare professionals should engage in cultural competence training to better understand the cultural nuances and beliefs that can impact a patient's health and care. Cross-Cultural Communication: Encouraging open and effective cross-cultural communication is essential. This includes being aware of language barriers, non-verbal cues, and cultural norms. Respect for Diverse Perspectives: Emphasize the importance of respecting diverse perspectives within the team. Colleagues from various cultural backgrounds may bring unique insights and approaches to patient care, which can enhance the quality of healthcare services.

In my experience, another way to build and support inter-professional relationships is to engage with organizations outside of your particular field of work. All industries have companies that are industry adjacent, and when you engage with those industry adjacent companies, it minimizes the detriment of echo chambers. An example of this would be a central sterile technician attending a medical device conference, or a supply chain director sitting in on a truck drivers meeting. It allows you to see outside of your usual filter for both pain points and possibilities.

Creating effective interprofessional relationships requires time and effort. While we often focus on activities like interprofessional mentorship and professional meetings, we sometimes overlook the importance of celebrating success. Recognizing and honoring the achievements and contributions of team members is essential. Hosting a celebration, such as a party with food and drinks, can foster positive conversations and strengthen these relationships.