AACN Essentials

The Essentials

Domain 6: Interprofessional Partnerships

Descriptor: Intentional collaboration across professions and with care team members, patients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes.

Contextual Statement: Professional partnerships that include interprofessional, intraprofessional, and paraprofessional partnerships, build on a consistent demonstration of core professional values (altruism, excellence, caring, ethics, respect, communication, and shared accountability) in the provision of team-based, person-centered care. Nursing knowledge and expertise uniquely contributes to the intentional work within teams and in concert with patient, family, and community preferences and goals. Interprofessional partnerships require a coordinated, integrated, and collaborative implementation of the unique knowledge, beliefs, and skills of the full team for the end purpose of optimized care delivery. Effective collaboration requires an understanding of team dynamics and an ability to work effectively in care-oriented teams. Leadership of the team varies depending on needs of the individual, community, population, and context of care.

Entry-Level Domain 6 Competencies

6.1 Communicate in a manner that facilitates a partnership approach to quality care delivery.

  • 6.1a Communicate the nurse’s roles and responsibilities clearly.

  • 6.1b Use various communication tools and techniques effectively.

  • 6.1c Elicit the perspectives of team members to inform person-centered care decision making.

  • 6.1d Articulate impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion on team-based communications.

  • 6.1e Communicate individual information in a professional, accurate, and timely manner.

  • 6.1f Communicate as informed by legal, regulatory, and policy guidelines.

6.2 Perform effectively in different team roles, using principles and values of team dynamics.

  • 6.2a Apply principles of team dynamics, including team roles, to facilitate effective team functioning.

  • 6.2b Delegate work to team members based on their roles and competency.

  • 6.2c Engage in the work of the team as appropriate to one’s scope of practice and competency.

  • 6.2d Recognize how one’s uniqueness (as a person and a nurse) contributes to effective interprofessional working relationships.

  • 6.2e Apply principles of team leadership and management. performance to improve quality and assure safety.

  • 6.2f Evaluate performance of individual and team to improve quality and promote safety.

6.3 Use knowledge of nursing and other professions to address healthcare needs.

  • 6.3a Integrate the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals through interprofessional collaborative practice.

  • 6.3b Leverage roles and abilities of team members to optimize care.

  • 6.3c Communicate with team members to clarify responsibilities in executing plan of care.

6.4 Work with other professions to maintain a climate of mutual learning, respect, and shared values.

  • 6.4a Demonstrate an awareness of one’s biases and how they may affect mutual respect and communication with team members.

  • 6.4b Demonstrate respect for the perspectives and experiences of other professions.

  • 6.4c Engage in constructive communication to facilitate conflict management.

  • 6.4d Collaborate with interprofessional team members to establish mutual healthcare goals for individuals, communities, or populations.

Advanced-Level Domain 6 Competencies

6.1 Communicate in a manner that facilitates a partnership approach to quality care delivery.

  • 6.1g Evaluate effectiveness of interprofessional communication tools and techniques to support and improve the efficacy of team-based interactions.

  • 6.1h Facilitate improvements in interprofessional communications of individual information (e.g. EHR).

  • 6.1i Role model respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion in team-based communications.

  • 6.1j Communicate nursing’s unique disciplinary knowledge to strengthen interprofessional partnerships

  • 6.1k Provide expert consultation for other members of the healthcare team in one’s area of practice.

  • 6.1l Demonstrate capacity to resolve interprofessional conflict.

6.2 Perform effectively in different team roles, using principles and values of team dynamics.

  • 6.2g Integrate evidence-based strategies and processes to improve team effectiveness and outcomes.

  • 6.2h Evaluate the impact of team dynamics and performance on desired outcomes.

  • 6.2i Reflect on how one’s role and expertise influences team performance.

  • 6.2j Foster positive team dynamics to strengthen desired outcomes.

6.3 Use knowledge of nursing and other professions to address healthcare needs.

  • 6.3d Direct interprofessional activities and initiatives.

6.4 Work with other professions to maintain a climate of mutual learning, respect, and shared values.

  • 6.4e Practice self-assessment to mitigate conscious and implicit biases toward other team members.

  • 6.4f Foster an environment that supports the constructive sharing of multiple perspectives and enhances interprofessional learning.

  • 6.4g Integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into team practices.

  • 6.4h Manage disagreements, conflicts, and challenging conversations among team members.

  • 6.4i Promote an environment that advances interprofessional learning.