Nurse to nurse: consultation in geriatric nursing practice

The complexity of clients in today's health care environment requires a close, collaborative working relationship among disciplines. However, nurses, who are often key decision-makers in the planning, management, and movement of clients throughout the health care system, may not use the expertise of their best allies: nurses in other settings, institutions, and specialty areas. Many care problems-at home or in the hospital, nursing home, or rehabilitation center-can be effectively resolved by nurse-to-nurse consultation. The importance and benefit of nurses relying on their own profession to answer nursing care questions are illustrated with vignettes that apply a model of consultation to the practice of geriatric nursing.