Nursing Professional Development Certification (NPD-BC) Practice Exam

If a nurse discusses a patient's care plan with the occupational therapist to determine the best intervention, this is an example of:

1. internal collaboration

2. external collaboration

3. community collaboration

4. strategic alliance

The correct answer is: internal collaboration

The scenario describes a nurse discussing a patient's care plan with an occupational therapist, which exemplifies internal collaboration. This type of collaboration occurs within a healthcare organization where multiple professionals work together to provide comprehensive care to a patient. Internal collaboration focuses on the integrated efforts among members of the multidisciplinary team within the same institution, ensuring a cohesive approach to patient management. By actively engaging with the occupational therapist, the nurse leverages shared expertise to optimize the patient's plan of care and outcomes. This collaboration highlights the importance of teamwork in nursing and allied health professions, fostering communication and enhancing patient-centered care. The other options refer to different types of collaboration: external collaboration relates to partnerships formed with healthcare entities outside of the immediate organization; community collaboration involves cooperation with external community resources; and strategic alliances consist of long-term partnerships aimed at achieving mutual goals, often seen in broader organizational contexts. However, in this scenario, the interaction is specifically among practitioners within the same healthcare setting, emphasizing internal collaboration.