Why is Nursing Care Delivery System Important?

Care delivery systems are conceptual or philosophical frameworks that describe

how organizations approach the care delivered to their patients. It is important to identify
the nursing concepts that keep care delivery focused on the patient and their family. This
framework defines nursing as a profession rather than a task-based job. It also provides
structures that allow the nurse to function as a professional, as a colleague and supports
the organization and effective use of resources.

The UVA Nursing Care Delivery System:

The care delivery system endorsed by the UVA PNSO is Relationship-Based Care.
Relationship-Based Care is a framework that identifies the three fundamental
relationships that define the patient experience: the nurses relationships to self, to
colleagues, and to patients and families. Relationship-Based Care aligns with the
organizational goals and values and provides a synergistic approach to excellent
outcomes. This system emphasizes the human aspect of care and the relationships that
surround the patient.

There are seven principles of a Relationship-Based Care delivery system that help further
explain it:

Caring and healing environment- The physical environment and the interactions with
those delivering care are the immediate context for the patients experience. The
combination of therapeutic relationships and an environment that meets physical needs
and comfort, promotes healing.

Leadership- Each individual nurse has a leadership role in providing care.

Compassionate nursing leadership supports the emergence of caring and compassionate
leaders from all levels of the organization.

Teamwork- Every individual nurse is accountable for his or her own actions, supports the
success of those around them and contributes to the mission of the organization.
Commitment to excellent communication and strong collegial relationships creates an
environment for great care.

Professional nursing practice Nurses embrace the responsibilities of professional

practice: holding to a set of technical and ethical standards, ongoing self-improvement
and development, and accountability for autonomy. The six practice roles that describe
the nurse in the context of Relationship-Based Care are: sentry, guide, healer,
collaborator, teacher, and leader.

Patient care delivery- Continuity of care is of great value to the patient and supports the
relationship between the patient and the nurse. The four elements that define any care
delivery system:
1. Nurse/patient relationship and decision-making
2. Work allocation and/or patient assignments
3. Communication between members of the health care team
4. Management of the unit environment

Resource-driven practice- A focus on what resources are available and prioritization of

what matters most to the patient and family, instead of what resources are lacking,
refocuses the care to benefit the patient and the team. Staffing fluctuations are inevitable
in our environment. An empowered approach to prioritized care promotes critical thinking,
decision-making and individualization of care.

Outcomes measurement- Meaningful data is used to measure the impact of both

relationships and care. Patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes data are used to inspire
and motivate so that members of the team understand their relationship to the outcomes
they influence.
Teamwork: Collaboration and enhanced communication

Interdisciplinary teamwork is an important model for delivering health care to patients.

Teamwork in health is defined as two or more people who interact interdependently

with a common purpose, working toward measurable goals that benefit from leadership
that maintains stability while encouraging honest discussion and problem solving.
Researchers have found that integrating services among many health providers is a key
component to better treat underserved populations and communities with limited access
to health care

Why is Motivation Important in Health Care?

As the name implies, teamwork in health care employs the practices of

collaboration and enhanced communication to expand the traditional roles of health
workers and to make decisions as a unit that works toward a common goal. The Canadian
Health Services Research Foundation found that teams function better when they have
a clear purpose and implement protocols and procedures. Also important is the use of
meetings and other communication methods to discuss patient results, share information,
and debate suggestions to improve performance. Teamwork and collaboration are
especially essential to care of patients in a decentralized health system with many levels
of health workers
Health care, by definition, is a multidisciplinary profession in which doctors, nurses,
health professionals from different specialties must work together, communicate often,
and share resources. Health teams are often made up of a variety of professionals
called cadres in health care each with specialized knowledge and responsible for
different tasks. These multidisciplinary teams are made up to solve health problems
Successful health teams strive to understand the patients situation, ask probing
questions about the problem, make an initial assessment and, after discussion, provide
a recommendation6. Teams can also work together to develop health promotion for
diverse communities and instill disease prevention behaviors amongst patients

Why is teamwork important

Teamwork became an important health intervention for a number of reasons. First, clinical
care is becoming more complex and specialized, forcing medical staffs to attempt
complicated health services and quickly learn new methods. Aging populations, the
increase of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease have forced medical
staffs to take a multidisciplinary approach to health care. In countries like the United
States, medical teams must manage patients suffering from multiple health problems

Other countries are also concerned with increasing access to health care for diverse
populations. In Brazil, health teams train to intimately understand the needs of patients,
but also of local communities and different cultures

Secondly, researchers have found that working together reduces the number of medical
errors and increases patient safety. Teamwork also reduces issues that lead to burnout.
No longer is one person responsible for the patients health; today, an entire team of
health workers comes together to coordinate a patients well-being. Health teams help
break down hierarchy and centralized power of health organizations, giving more
leverage to health workers

Third, because teamwork is centered on solid communication, patients and their families
sometimes feel more at ease and report they accept treatments and feel more satisfied
with their health care. Health workers are also found to be more satisfied with their work.
A study found nurses who go through successful team building efforts are more satisfied
with their work.
Teamwork and medical school
Teamwork and team training is now seen as essential part of pre service
education. Because learning how to communicate effectively and work together can be
time consuming, learning teamwork within the context of medical curricula will make
students better prepared.

Learning the fundamentals of teamwork and collaborative care helps students

better understand patient needs especially in areas where social and health issues
abound. A program in India trains nurses working with HIV patients to work within many
roles: counselor, lab technician and outreach worker.

The World Health Organization recommends that students begin using the
principles of teamwork in their education immediately. What is helpful is that many
programs teach problem-based learning, allowing students to work together, share
information, and solve clinical problems as a team.

http://www.hrhresourcecenter.org/HRH_Info_Teamwork
https://www.medicalcenter.virginia.edu/pnso/Core%20Principles/Relationship-Based-
Care.pdf
https://www.scribd.com/doc/34884439/Community-Health-Nursing-Process
https://www.scribd.com/presentation/225423633/Philosophy-and-Theoretical-
Framework-of-Community-Health-Nursing