Xiulu Xu,1 Mengjuan Jing,2 Yuxin Zhu,3 Hanghang Jin,1 Liming Li4 

1School of Nursing and Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Center Intensive Care Unit, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Nursing and Health, Henan University, Kaifeng, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Nursing, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Liming Li, Email syliliming868199@126.com

Purpose: To explore the reasons for poor multidisciplinary team (MDT) cooperation of Chronic Critical Illness (CCI) patients and their needs and expectations for carrying out MDT cooperation, with a view to providing references for improving MDT cooperation of CCI patients.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 15 members of the MDT of CCI patients in a hospital of Henan Province were conducted in September and October of 2024 using a descriptive qualitative design. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method developed by Braun and Clarke.
Results: Three themes emerged: Theme 1: The collaborative experience of MDT members, with three sub-themes: essential MDT cooperation, absence of specialized MDT, and the nurse’s diminished role; Theme 2: Barriers to MDT cooperation, with three sub-themes: unclear cooperation process and job responsibilities, lack of effective communication, and insufficient observation and feedback; Theme 3: Facilitators to MDT cooperation, divided into three sub-themes: timely and effective communication, a leading role, well-developed MDT tools.
Conclusion: Due to the following deficiencies: unclear cooperation process and job responsibilities, lack of effective communication, and insufficient observation and feedback, it is urgent to take appropriate measures to promote MDT cooperation for CCI patients.

Keywords: chronic critical illness patients, multidisciplinary team cooperation, experience, qualitative design