DNP Essential VI- Interprofessional Collaboration

 


The DNP Essential VI is related to Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and
Population health. In the discussion board of this module, you may describe this essential and provide
samples of how to implement it in your workplace.

 

Key Components of DNP Essential VI

 

ComponentDescription
Team LeadershipThe DNP graduate must be able to lead and manage interprofessional teams, often across diverse care settings and organizations.
CommunicationEmphasizes effective, respectful, and clear communication techniques that facilitate conflict resolution and consensus-building among team members.
System ImprovementInvolves using collaboration to design, implement, and evaluate quality improvement initiatives and system changes that impact population health.
Shared AccountabilityRecognizing and accepting joint responsibility for patient care outcomes and system-level performance.

 

💡 Implementation Samples in the Workplace

 

As a DNP-prepared nurse, implementing Essential VI involves actively engaging in collaborative practices and system-level changes.

 

1. In the Acute Care/Hospital Setting

 

Implement a Multidisciplinary Rounding Checklist:

Action: Lead the development of a structured rounding tool that ensures every team member (nurses, physicians, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, social workers, case managers) reviews and contributes their domain-specific assessment and plan for the patient before morning rounds.

Goal: To prevent care gaps and improve patient flow. For example, the pharmacist ensures medication reconciliation is complete, and the social worker confirms discharge needs are being addressed early in the stay, thereby reducing length of stay and readmission risk.

 

2. In the Primary Care/Ambulatory Setting

 

Establish Integrated Behavioral Health Services:

Action: Work with clinic leadership to integrate a mental health specialist (e.g., licensed clinical social worker or psychologist) directly into the primary care team. Create a streamlined referral and consultation process within the electronic health record (EHR).

Goal: To address population mental health needs that often go untreated in primary care. The DNP could co-manage a patient with uncontrolled diabetes and depression alongside the behavioral health specialist, improving medication adherence and overall health outcomes.

 

3. In the Community/Public Health Setting

 

Lead a Chronic Disease Management Task Force:

Action: Convene leaders from local organizations—the health department, school nurses, community dietitians, and local fitness centers—to develop a shared protocol for managing hypertension or childhood obesity across the community.

Goal: To improve population health indicators by leveraging diverse community resources. The DNP uses population data to identify the issue, brings the stakeholders together, and facilitates the adoption of evidence-based, community-wide strategies.

Sample Answer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DNP Essential VI: Interprofessional Collaboration

 

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Essential VI focuses on Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes. This essential emphasizes that DNP-prepared nurses must function as leaders and active participants in collaborative teams, recognizing that complex patient and population health issues require coordinated care and the combined expertise of multiple disciplines.

The core principle is that better patient and population outcomes are achieved when healthcare professionals from various fields (nursing, medicine, pharmacy, social work, physical therapy, etc.) communicate effectively, share decision-making, and work together towards common goals.