Exploring interprofessional collaboration in the intensive care unit.
Meluleki S Thethwayo, Pat Camp, Diane van Staden and 2 others
PMID 39649528WHAT IT FOUND
Clinicians in South African ICUs reported that doctors often misunderstand their roles, leading to late or inappropriate referrals.
Teamwork was disrupted by siloed ward rounds, poor communication, staff shortages, and the pandemic, with participants urging compulsory joint rounds and better interprofessional education.
Key findings
01Nurses and rehabilitation professionals reported that doctors lacked understanding of their roles, resulting in poorly planned and ill-timed referrals.
02Participants identified teamwork disruption caused by separate ward rounds, poor communication, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing and morale.
03Organisational obstacles included severe staff shortages and financial restrictions that classified rehabilitation staff as non-essential, limiting their participation in team activities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted at only two hospitals within one province in South Africa, limiting the generalisability of the findings to other contexts. Pharmacists were not included in the study because they were not regularly present in the ICUs. The interview guide was not piloted before data collection began. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced team dynamics and participant responses in ways not representative of normal operations.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Research Foundation of South Africa. The authors declared no commercial or financial conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the reported problems as universal failures of medical teams or as evidence that interprofessional collaboration is impossible in these settings. The findings reflect perceptions from a specific, resource-limited context during a global pandemic, and the authors note that the challenges, while significant, are comparable to those in other developed and developing contexts.