Interprofessional collaboration during medical emergencies among doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists in the intensive care unit: A phenomenological study protocol

Abstract

Aim:The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of interprofessional collaboration among nurses, doctors, and respiratory therapists during medical emergencies in the intensive care unit. Design: Descriptive phenomenological study.Method: Participants will be recruited through purposive sampling with maximum variation across the ICUs in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Guided by data saturation, data collection will include individual semi-structured interviews with ICU nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapist who have attended to medical emergencies such as cardiopulmonary arrest or difficult airway management in the ICUs. Interviews will be audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed via Colaizzi's descriptive phenomenology method.Discussion: Whilst interprofessional collaboration remains a major interest among nursing research, there is a paucity of evidence surrounding interprofessional collaboration in the specific context of medical emergencies in the ICUs. This is especially crucial as the failure of interprofessional collaboration during medical emergencies can be catastrophic to patient safety. Hence, this study will adopt a qualitative approach to contribute to the evidence base surrounding this lesser known phenomenon. The findings generated from this study will inform future team training initiatives, advance nursing leadership initiatives, and identify barriers and facilitators towards fostering greater interprofessional collaboration during medical emergencies. Impact:The evidence gained from this study contributes to the limited knowledge base of interprofessional collaboration during medical emergencies. Findings will have vast impact on nursing and interprofessional programs such as crisis leadership and management. The findings could also inform practice frameworks during medical emergencies to support interprofessional collaboration and optimize patient care.

1-year survival rate of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome based on ventilator types: a multi-center study

“…It is also vital to adhere to evidence-based guidelines and protocols to ensure appropriate ventilation support and minimize harm. Regular monitoring and evaluation of patients' response to ventilation, including factors such as oxygenation levels, lung compliance, and other relevant parameters, should be conducted 41 , 42 . Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare teams involving respiratory therapists, critical care specialists, and other knowledgeable professionals is crucial, especially considering the shortage of experienced staff and experts in transport ventilators 41 , 43 .…”

“…Regular monitoring and evaluation of patients' response to ventilation, including factors such as oxygenation levels, lung compliance, and other relevant parameters, should be conducted 41 , 42 . Moreover, interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare teams involving respiratory therapists, critical care specialists, and other knowledgeable professionals is crucial, especially considering the shortage of experienced staff and experts in transport ventilators 41 , 43 . By implementing these measures, clinicians can increase the optimal use of ventilators, ultimately leading to improved patient survival rates.…”

The lived experiences of health care professionals regarding visiting restrictions in the emergency department during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A multi‐perspective qualitative study

“…While several phenomenological approaches to data analysis exist (Phillips‐Pula et al, 2011), we applied that of Colaizzi's (1978) which is used in nursing and interprofessional research (Liang et al, 2020; Lin et al, 2020; Sheng et al, 2020; Wirihana et al, 2018) and found to be a rigorous and robust approach that ensures credibility and reliability of its results (Wirihana et al, 2018). Colaizzi's (1978) approach involves (i) reading of the interview transcripts several times while listening to the tape recordings; (ii) extracting essential elements and meaningful statements from the transcripts; (iii) coding the same elements and statements of the data; (iv) arranging the formulated meanings into several clusters of themes; (v) ensuring that detailed descriptions were stated and merged for every extracted theme; (vi) undertaking a repeated reading by the researchers of the themes and the descriptions; (vii) returning the data to the participants to obtain their views and to be verified.…”

“…While several phenomenological approaches to data analysis exist (Phillips-Pula et al, 2011), we applied that of Colaizzi's (1978) which is used in nursing and interprofessional research (Liang et al, 2020;Lin et al, 2020;Sheng et al, 2020;Wirihana et al, 2018) and found to be a rigorous and robust approach that ensures credibility and reliability of its results (Wirihana et al, 2018). Colaizzi's (1978…”

Tenacious team, precarious patient: A phenomenological inquiry into interprofessional collaboration during ICU resuscitations

“…The full details of this study design are published in our study protocol (Lin et al, 2020). The following sections will recap the study design and elements.…”