Interdisciplinary collaboration NCLEX-RN Practice Questions

Interdisciplinary collaboration NCLEX-RN Practice Questions help you master how nurses coordinate, communicate, and advocate across healthcare teams to ensure safe, high-quality care. This topic within the Management of Care domain emphasizes role clarity, SBAR handoffs, referrals to appropriate disciplines, ethical decision-making, case management, and discharge planning. The following practice questions simulate real NCLEX-RN exam scenarios, focusing on priorities, first actions, and evidence-based collaboration with pharmacists, therapists, social workers, case managers, and providers. Designed as a topic-wise question bank, this set supports M. Pharma learners and nursing candidates in understanding how interprofessional teamwork reduces errors, addresses social determinants of health, and improves patient outcomes across acute, community, and long-term care settings.

Q1. A postoperative patient reports uncontrolled pain despite PRN opioids. The nurse notes sedation and shallow respirations. Which collaborative action is the priority?

• Request a pharmacist-led medication review to consider multimodal analgesia
• Consult physical therapy for early mobilization to decrease pain
• Notify the provider using SBAR to discuss dose adjustment and naloxone consideration
• Arrange a family meeting to set realistic pain expectations

Correct Answer: Notify the provider using SBAR to discuss dose adjustment and naloxone consideration

Q2. An older adult with heart failure is being discharged. Which referral best addresses medication complexity and reduces readmission risk?

• Occupational therapy for home safety assessment
• Pharmacist for medication reconciliation and adherence counseling
• Speech therapy for cognitive-linguistic evaluation
• Recreational therapy for engagement

Correct Answer: Pharmacist for medication reconciliation and adherence counseling

Q3. A patient with new dysphagia after a stroke coughs during water intake. What is the nurse’s most appropriate collaborative action?

• Consult speech-language pathology for a swallow evaluation
• Notify dietary to switch to a regular diet
• Request physical therapy for strengthening exercises
• Encourage the patient to drink through a straw

Correct Answer: Consult speech-language pathology for a swallow evaluation

Q4. During interdisciplinary rounds, the social worker shares the patient’s housing instability without written consent. Which action best upholds HIPAA while supporting care?

• Stop the meeting and file an incident report immediately
• Allow sharing of only minimum necessary information relevant to care planning
• End the meeting and advise team members to seek information individually
• Share all social details to promote transparent teamwork

Correct Answer: Allow sharing of only minimum necessary information relevant to care planning

Q5. A nurse calls the provider about sepsis concerns using SBAR. Which content best represents the “Recommendation” step?

• “The patient is febrile, hypotensive, and tachycardic.”
• “Labs show elevated lactate and WBC.”
• “I recommend starting fluids and broad-spectrum antibiotics now.”
• “The patient was admitted with pneumonia.”

Correct Answer: “I recommend starting fluids and broad-spectrum antibiotics now.”

Q6. A patient with COPD has increased work of breathing and wheezes. Which collaborative action should the nurse initiate first?

• Request a respiratory therapist for bronchodilator treatment and assessment
• Consult physical therapy for pulmonary rehabilitation
• Notify dietary about high-calorie meals
• Arrange a chaplain visit for support

Correct Answer: Request a respiratory therapist for bronchodilator treatment and assessment

Q7. A cancer patient expresses conflicting goals about continuing aggressive treatment. What is the most appropriate collaborative step?

• Request an ethics consultation to facilitate shared decision-making
• Discontinue curative orders and initiate hospice
• Schedule physical therapy to improve stamina
• Document the conflict and reassess next shift

Correct Answer: Request an ethics consultation to facilitate shared decision-making

Q8. A non-English-speaking patient requires consent for a procedure. What is the best collaborative approach?

• Use a trained medical interpreter for the consent discussion
• Ask a bilingual family member to translate
• Use a translation app for convenience
• Proceed with consent using simplified language

Correct Answer: Use a trained medical interpreter for the consent discussion

Q9. A patient with diabetes and chronic wounds is frequently rehospitalized. Which interdisciplinary strategy best reduces recurrence?

• Refer only to wound care nurse for dressing changes
• Coordinate case management with wound care, diabetes educator, and home health services
• Discharge with written instructions and follow-up phone call
• Arrange outpatient surgery consult

Correct Answer: Coordinate case management with wound care, diabetes educator, and home health services

Q10. A provider dismisses a nurse’s concern about a new chest pain complaint. What is the nurse’s best next step to ensure patient safety?

• Wait for the next shift to reassess
• Escalate using the chain of command after restating concerns
• Document and do nothing further
• Order an ECG under standing orders without notifying anyone

Correct Answer: Escalate using the chain of command after restating concerns

Q11. Which patient scenario warrants immediate collaboration with the dietitian?

• New diagnosis of hypertension controlled with medication
• Patient on total parenteral nutrition requiring macronutrient adjustments
• Patient requesting a vegetarian menu
• Stable ulcerative colitis in remission

Correct Answer: Patient on total parenteral nutrition requiring macronutrient adjustments

Q12. A patient with delirium needs discharge planning. Which team member can best arrange caregiver training and home equipment?

• Speech-language pathologist
• Case manager
• Chaplain
• Charge nurse

Correct Answer: Case manager

Q13. The nurse suspects polypharmacy interactions in an older adult. Which collaborative action is most appropriate?

• Ask the provider to discontinue all PRN medications
• Request a pharmacist-led comprehensive medication review
• Recommend herbal alternatives
• Switch to once-daily dosing without consultation

Correct Answer: Request a pharmacist-led comprehensive medication review

Q14. A patient with advanced COPD expresses spiritual distress. Which collaborative resource is most appropriate?

• Chaplain for spiritual assessment and support
• Physical therapy for breathing exercises
• Social worker to coordinate transportation
• Respiratory therapist for oxygen titration

Correct Answer: Chaplain for spiritual assessment and support

Q15. During team huddle, two disciplines disagree on discharge timing. What is the nurse leader’s best immediate strategy?

• Make an executive decision without input
• Use structured conflict resolution, focusing on patient goals and objective criteria
• Delay discharge indefinitely
• Ask the family to decide

Correct Answer: Use structured conflict resolution, focusing on patient goals and objective criteria

Q16. A patient with Parkinson’s disease struggles with activities of daily living. Which consultation best promotes independence at home?

• Occupational therapy for adaptive strategies and equipment
• Respiratory therapy for airway clearance
• Speech therapy for articulation exercises only
• Social worker for insurance authorization

Correct Answer: Occupational therapy for adaptive strategies and equipment

Q17. A patient with new-onset atrial fibrillation is started on warfarin. Which collaborative action enhances safety during transition of care?

• Dietitian consult to ensure consistent vitamin K intake
• Wound care consult to prevent bleeding
• Respiratory therapy consult for monitoring
• Chaplain consult for education

Correct Answer: Dietitian consult to ensure consistent vitamin K intake

Q18. After a fall with injury, which collaborative action supports quality improvement and team learning?

• Only document in the medical record
• Complete an incident report and participate in a root cause analysis
• Notify family and avoid internal reporting
• Blame the night shift for inadequate rounding

Correct Answer: Complete an incident report and participate in a root cause analysis

Q19. A patient with opioid use disorder requires postoperative pain management. Which team approach is best?

• Withhold opioids to prevent relapse
• Coordinate with pain management and addiction medicine for multimodal therapy
• Assign a sitter for continuous observation
• Discharge early to reduce exposure

Correct Answer: Coordinate with pain management and addiction medicine for multimodal therapy

Q20. A patient experiencing intimate partner violence requests resources. Which discipline should the nurse prioritize collaborating with?

• Recreational therapy
• Social work for safety planning and community linkage
• Respiratory therapy
• Wound care nursing

Correct Answer: Social work for safety planning and community linkage

Q21. A heart failure patient gains 4 lb in two days after discharge. Which collaborative intervention best prevents readmission?

• Schedule outpatient echocardiogram only
• Initiate nurse–pharmacist telehealth follow-up for diuretic titration and education
• Refer to occupational therapy
• Request chaplain support

Correct Answer: Initiate nurse–pharmacist telehealth follow-up for diuretic titration and education

Q22. A newly diagnosed type 1 diabetic patient requires comprehensive self-management education. Which collaboration is essential?

• Refer to physical therapy for endurance training
• Coordinate with a certified diabetes care and education specialist
• Arrange a chaplain visit
• Send patient home with written instructions only

Correct Answer: Coordinate with a certified diabetes care and education specialist

Q23. During an interdisciplinary conference, the patient’s caregiver appears overwhelmed and tearful. What is the nurse’s best collaborative action?

• Proceed without addressing emotions to maintain time
• Engage social work for caregiver support and respite resources
• Refer to respiratory therapy
• Delay all discharge plans

Correct Answer: Engage social work for caregiver support and respite resources

Q24. A patient with chronic kidney disease needs dietary guidance. Which referral is most appropriate?

• Dietitian for renal diet education including potassium and phosphorus control
• Occupational therapy for kitchen safety
• Speech therapy for swallowing
• Respiratory therapy for incentive spirometry

Correct Answer: Dietitian for renal diet education including potassium and phosphorus control

Q25. A homeless patient with uncontrolled diabetes is admitted frequently. Which action best addresses social determinants of health?

• Provide glucose meter and discharge
• Coordinate with social work for shelter, insurance navigation, and community clinic linkage
• Encourage daily jogging
• Increase insulin dose only

Correct Answer: Coordinate with social work for shelter, insurance navigation, and community clinic linkage

Q26. Which scenario indicates the need for a palliative care consult rather than hospice?

• Patient forgoes all disease-directed treatment with prognosis under 6 months
• Patient seeks symptom management while continuing chemotherapy
• Patient requests home death planning
• Family requests discontinuation of all medications

Correct Answer: Patient seeks symptom management while continuing chemotherapy

Q27. A postoperative patient develops an unstageable pressure injury. Which collaborative sequence is most appropriate?

• Notify provider, consult wound care nurse, coordinate nutrition optimization
• Change dressings daily without consultation
• Start antibiotics immediately
• Refer to occupational therapy only

Correct Answer: Notify provider, consult wound care nurse, coordinate nutrition optimization

Q28. The nurse prepares for an interdisciplinary discharge planning meeting. Which information is most important to bring?

• Patient’s favorite hobbies
• Updated problem list, current meds, functional status, and identified barriers
• Nurse’s personal opinion of the family
• Only vital signs from the last shift

Correct Answer: Updated problem list, current meds, functional status, and identified barriers

Q29. A patient with new tracheostomy requires safe home transition. Which combination of referrals best supports collaborative care?

• Respiratory therapy, home health nursing, and durable medical equipment vendor
• Dietitian, chaplain, and recreational therapy
• Pharmacist only
• Case manager only

Correct Answer: Respiratory therapy, home health nursing, and durable medical equipment vendor

Q30. During bedside rounds, the nurse notes discrepancies between the medication list and the patient’s home regimen. What should the nurse do first?

• Administer medications as ordered and reconcile later
• Initiate medication reconciliation with the provider and pharmacist immediately
• Ask the family to discard old medications at home
• Hold all medications until the next day

Correct Answer: Initiate medication reconciliation with the provider and pharmacist immediately

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