Interprofessional Collaborations Improve Cancer Care

“Two heads are better than one.” It might be one of the most commonly recited idioms in the English language, but that’s because it holds true time and time again. When faced with a difficult problem, it’s human nature to seek different perspectives, to work together with others facing similar issues to accomplish a common goal. Compromise, collaboration, and communication are essential to successful teams—whether it’s your daughter’s basketball team, the U.S. government, or any group in between. 

In oncology, teamwork is no different. Bringing together professionals from different disciplines can yield tremendous results for patients with cancer. By pulling in different perspectives from nurses, physicians, pharmacists, social workers, chaplains, and more, interprofessional teams can draw from the expertise of their members to provide the best possible care for patients. Creating a spirit of open collaboration and cross-departmental teams requires planning, hard work, and a willingness to share ideas. Oncology nurses around the country are forging new collaborations with their interprofessional colleagues to improve care for their patients.