Qualified and unqualified nurses' views of the multidisciplinary team: findings of a large interview study

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Abstract
Effective health care provision is increasingly dependent upon good team working with the recognition that the contribution of different disciplines is essential to high quality care and good patient outcome. While there is a growing literature about the important antecedents to effective teamwork, relatively little is known about nurses' (the title nurse is used as a generic term to indicate midwives and health visitors) views of the multidisciplinary team (MDT). The findings of a large interview survey (n = 449) are described and the differences between different nursing groups explored. These data formed part of a study exploring the perceptions and needs of continuing professional education among qualified and unqualified nurses. More than a quarter of the sample (28%) were not familiar with the term MDT and a similar proportion were unable to give a clear description of a MDT. Multivariate analysis also indicated that familiarity with the term MDT was associated with the status of participants within the organisation.