Coordinating with allied health — PT, OT, social work, dietitian
Lesson 3 of 4 in Interprofessional Team Communication · 22 minutes
Canadian healthcare is multidisciplinary. Nurses coordinate with PT, OT, social work, dietitians, pharmacists, and others. This lesson covers the language of cross-team coordination.
What you'll learn
- Identify allied health roles in Canadian hospitals
- Make appropriate referrals
- Communicate effectively with allied health colleagues
- Use multidisciplinary rounds productively
From the lesson
Canadian patient care is multidisciplinary. A typical post-op orthopedic patient might see PT, OT, pharmacy, social work, dietitian, plus nursing — all in addition to the surgeon and primary care team. The nurse is often the central coordinator. Strong nurses know how to work with each discipline and when to refer. This lesson is the practical guide.
1. The allied health team
Physiotherapy (PT): • Movement, mobility, exercise. • Common referrals: post-op patients, post-stroke, falls risk. • Their work: bed exercises, walking practice, stair training, balance work.
Occupational Therapy (OT): • Activities of daily living, fine motor, cognitive. • Common referrals: post-stroke, ADL difficulties,…