Multiprofessional teamwork in hospital palliative care teams

Abstract

This study aims to identify and explore the internal dynamics within multiprofessional hospital palliative care teams (HPCTs). Various factors within the host organizations which are perceived by professionals as affecting team working are broadly examined. The theoretical stance is based on a managerial model devised by Plant (1987), which demonstrates the value of a process approach to change and team development. The study design is qualitative and uses an interpretative and exploratory approach to enable findings to emerge from focused interviews. The sample comprised eight professionals working in a variety of HPCTs in London. Results were coded and analysed using the Plant (1987) model and the study demonstrates that HPCTs have similar internal dynamics to other multiprofessional teams. The main areas examined in this study include communication, decision making, professional roles and leadership. HPCTs experience specific difficulties in relation to professional roles and boundaries associated with an emphasis on desirable role blurring within palliative care. Other issues considered are effecting change in large organizations and the prevention of professional isolation and marginalization. All study participants viewed working in a mutiprofessional team as beneficial and identified HPCTs as providing a high level of support for team members.