Demands and Rewards of Working Within Multidisciplinary Teams in Pediatric Oncology: The Experiences of Canadian Health Care Providers

Abstract

Pediatric oncology care in Canada is delivered by multidisciplinary teams consisting of healthcare providers with different areas of expertise. Limited information is available on how the multidisciplinary team influences jobrelated rewards, demands, and stress in pediatric oncology. A qualitative approach was adopted to learn about healthcare providers’ experiences of working within a multidisciplinary team in pediatric oncology. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 healthcare providers (13 oncologists, 9 nurses, 5 social workers, and 6 child-life specialists) from four pediatric oncology centres. Topics explored included: demands and rewards associated with how the multidisciplinary team worked; description of one’s area of expertise; and healthcare provider’s responsibilities. Thematic analysis was used to identify sources of demands and rewards of working in a multidisciplinary team. Healthcare providers described rewards of working within a multidisciplinary team in three areas: sharing expertise and collaboration; giving and receiving social and emotional support; and being valued by and valuing team members. Healthcare providers discussed demands of working within a multidisciplinary team in four areas: interpersonal and communication tensions; conflicting views about providing care; role confusion, overlap and being undervalued; and hospital environment. These findings may inform interventions that alleviate healthcare provider stress and promote strategies that lead to greater job satisfaction.