Aims: To generate a theory of interprofessional collaborative team development in China.
Background: Interprofessional collaborative practice is an important approach to improve the patient-centred care.
Methods: Theoretical sampling was used to recruit individuals who had collaboration experiences. They each participated in face-to-face interviews lasting 40-60 min. Major categories describing the team development process for collaboration were extracted according to the grounded theory methodology.
Findings: The interprofessional collaborative team development was guided by a common purpose-"patient-centredness." Three stages involved in team development were identified: exploration, integration and continuous adjustment. Various strategies described for each stage are required to move successfully through the process.
Conclusion: Interprofessional team development is a dynamic process with three primary stages. The culture in which a teamworks is reflected in each stage of team development and collaboration.
Implications for nursing management: Understanding interprofessional collaborative team development and the strategies required will help nurse managers to better design interprofessional teamwork opportunities and provide necessary support to achieve the effective interprofessional collaborative practice.
Keywords: China; grounded theory; interprofessional collaboration; team development.
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.