Can't Work with 'em..Can't Work Without 'em

Description

Two sisters have been brought to a hospital. Lisa, age 11, and Mary, age 6, have experienced great trauma in their lives, and were brought to the attention of social services by a teacher at their school, which they attend infrequently. Lisa is showing signs of mental health issues, including abnormal eating behaviours and a suspected drug dependency. Mary is developmentally delayed when compared to girls her age, and both girls are severely underweight. After being brought to a local hospital to be assessed, the girls are extremely upset after they learn they may be separated into different foster homes. Understanding the complexity of the situation, the social worker assembles an interprofessional team to try to decide the best course of action to deal with the two girls’ many issues. As the team begins to discuss the best way to deal with the situation, it becomes clear that most team members believe their area of specialty should take precedence in the care program. However, Catharine the dietitian seems not to be participating fully, despite urging from one of the nurses that she needs to provide an effective meal plan as part of treatment. Tasia, one of the RNs, takes offense to Catharine’s attitude toward the girls, and a conflict begins.