KOT Task 1
B. Leadership Strategies
A nurse can be involved in an interdisciplinary team and provide leadership without officially being a formal leader. A leader is not just a title; it is reflected in attitudes and actions of the individual. A leader identifies a problem and seeks solutions to this problem. Because a nurse works directly at the patient bedside, the nurse has a unique position to see many problems first hand and can become an advocate for the patient. Acting as this patient advocate, the nurse can be a leader by identifying the problems and coordinating efforts with the entire team for a solution. The nurse must communicate effectively to make sure information is relayed correctly and in ways each team member can identify with. Again because the nurse is at the patient bedside, the nurse is in a critical leadership role to provide follow up reports and update the team regarding improvements.
Another way the nurse provides leadership on an interdisciplinary team is by reviewing current problems with the team and explaining current work flow from the nurse perspective. This allows all team members to understand the situation first hand rather than just as a problem on a report. By showing respect as other team members share their perspective, the nurse is also showing leadership skills and can become a role model for other co-workers. Additional leadership skills shown are “cooperation, commitment, and a willingness to accomplish shared goals.” (Cherry, 2011).

C. Active Involvement
It is important for a nurse to be actively involved in the interdisciplinary team since teamwork and communication are essential in patient care. Communicating effectively is one way a nurse remains involved in the interdisciplinary team. As stated above, the nurse has a firsthand view of patient care and needs to communicate well in order to improve