Question

You are a member of palliative care team. For a health care team to be effective each member of the multi-disciplinary group needs to recognise and respect the roles and responsibilities of their colleagues. Answer the following questions. Identify the responsibilities of the following members of health care team Team Services 8.1) Nurse 8.2) Social Worker 8.3) Occupational Therapist 8.4) Speech Pathologist 8.5) Physiotherapist

Answer 1

Health care is an increasingly diverse field where many specialties interact to provide patient care. The team approach to caring for patients includes:

• Many professionals(Nurse, social worker, occupational therapiest, speech pathologist, physiotherapiest and many other professionals) performing a variety of specialized functions designed to meet the physical, emotional and psychological needs of the patient.

8.1) Nurse rloes and responsibilities in health care team:

• Nurse practitioners are licensed registered nurses who have completed advanced academic and supervised clinical training beyond their registered nurse certification. Most have masters degrees and many have doctoral degrees.
• Nurse practitioners provide a number of different health care services.
• They are trained to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions, and can order and interpret diagnostic tests and procedures, perform health screenings,give immunizations, and may prescribe most medications.
• Nurse practitioners often focus on health promotion, disease prevention and helping patients make healthy lifestyle choices.
• They treat patients in outpatient settings and in the hospital.
• Although most nurse practitioners focus on primary care, many train and practice in fields as diverse as OB/GYN, pediatrics, oncology and dermatology.
• An NP-C is a nurse practitioner who has successfully completed a national certification exam for adult and family nurse practitioners.
• Scope of practice and autonomy for nurse practitioners varies state by state with most states requiring nurse practitioners to complete a collaborative care agreement with a physician who provides an specified level of supervision and oversight.

8.2) Social worker rloes and responsibilities in health care team:

• A social worker can help you understand what is happening in the system.
• They can help you understand any issues that will have to be tackled.
• This could be emotional, social or practical.
• Their role is to help you adjust to changes you experience.
• They can also support family members and others close to you as they adjust to your illness.

8.3) Occupational Therapists roles and responsibilities in a health care team:

• They work with individuals of all demographics regain, master, or develop the everyday skills that enable them to lead fulfilling, independent lives.
• Occupational Therapiest possess a graduate level degree in occupational therapy.
• They develop activities of daily living for individuals with mental or physical disabilities that inhibit their capacity to function independently.
• With time, routines may be developed which help equip these patients to pursue education and employment.
• Occupational Therapiests are most frequently found in the hospital or outpatient rehabilitation setting.

8.4)Speech pathologist rloes and responsibilities in health care team:

• Speech and Language Pathologists evaluate, diagnose, and treat language, speech, or swallowing difficulties in patients in various settings.
• Education and licensure requirements vary by state, but virtually all Speech and Language Pathologists have completed a graduate degree and a clinical fellowship.
• They can be found in an array of settings, working with individuals suffering from mental impairments, recovering from strokes, or requiring rehabilitation therapy.

8.5) Physiotherapiest rloes and responsibilities in health care team:

• A Physical Therapist works to treat individuals whose medical problems or other health-related conditions that impair their ability to move and perform activities of daily living.
• Treatment plans focus on preventing further disability, alleviating pain, and restoring function.
• Educational programs for Physiotherapiests exist at both the master’s and doctoral level.