Multidisciplinary Teams

Multidisciplinary teams emphasize an individual approach where individuals from
different disciplines approach the client from their perspective. In most cases, the approach
entails individual consultations. It does not emphasize an integrated approach to the provision of
services, and thus individual members do not develop or follow a cohesive plan. Each member
relies on their expertise to develop individual goals and interventions for their clients.
On the other hand, interdisciplinary teams emphasize an integrated approach to the
provision of services to patients. Team members integrate separate discipline approaches into a
single cohesive plan for providing services to patients (Owen et al., 2017). The team intimately
involves the patient in discussions regarding the development of intervention plans, the
diagnosis, and even progress. A holistic view of the treatment plan and a common understanding
of how the patient will be handled is adopted in interdisciplinary teams. These teams work
jointly, team members, as well as the patients, are encouraged to explore alternative avenues and
question each other to ensure that they all work towards achieving the best outcome for the
patient.
An interdisciplinary team is the best option for an individual who is starting in the
profession. It provides numerous opportunities to learn from other team members and work on
areas of weakness before embarking on full independent practice. One of the main advantages of
being in an interdisciplinary team is that it provides a stimulating work environment where
professionals can learn about certain interventions and assessments and how to conduct them safely and appropriately (Owen et al., 2017). At the moment, I would prefer working in an
interdisciplinary team because it will allow me an opportunity to work on certain areas that I feel
need more work. Specifically, I need to learn more about effectively communicating results to

patients and effectively conducting assessments. Working closely with other team members will
provide an opportunity to acquire more knowledge and hone my skills over time.
Working in a multidisciplinary team requires that I acquire certain skills to fit well and
communicate effectively with other team members. I will apply various strategies to hone my
skills. First, I will optimize interpersonal relations by building self-confidence and
motivation. I will provide social support to team members because the chances are that they too
will reciprocate the efforts, and this will strengthen the relations within the group. I will also use
affective statements, which entail statements of social encouragement that are aimed at providing
emotional support. Additionally, I will provide and ask for task-related social support, which
involves providing or asking for instrumental information regarding the task at hand. For
instance, since I am still learning and gaining confidence in my capabilities as a professional,
asking for task-related social support will help me learn skills and, at the same time, provide an
opportunity for one-on-one interactions with other team members.
Overall, to strengthen my skills as a team member in an interdisciplinary team, I will seek
training opportunities and attend these sessions to hone my skills and get better at my role. I will
also attend tea training sessions, and programs like these will provide an opportunity to enhance
performance, knowledge as well as teamwork skills. Studies show that team training is effective
and has positive effects on team performance, and it enhances effective processes within the
team (Driskell, Salas & Driskess, 2018). I will seek such opportunities to ensure that I share in
the team’s vision and play my role well to enhance team performance.

References

Driskell, J. E., Salas, E., & Driskess, T. (2018). Foundations of teamwork and
collaboration. American Psychologist, 73(4), 334–348.
doi:http://dx.doi.org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.1037/amp0000241 
Owen, R., Bowers, A., Heller, T., Hsieh, K., & Gould, R. (2017). The impact of support services
teams: A community based behavioral health support interventions. Journal of Policy and
Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(3), 205–213. doi:10.1111/jppi.12186