The Interplay of Inter- and Intraprofessional Boundary Work in Multidisciplinary Teams

Abstract

The challenges of managing interprofessional boundaries within multidisciplinary teams are well known. However, the role of intraprofessional relations in influencing the dynamics of interprofessional collaboration remain underexplored. Our qualitative study offers a fine-grained analysis of the interplay between inter- and intraprofessional boundary work among three professional groups in a multidisciplinary team over a period of two years. Our contribution to the literature is threefold. First, we identify various forms of “competitive” and “collaborative” boundary work that may occur simultaneously at both inter- and intraprofessional levels. Second, we reveal the dynamic interplay between inter- and intraprofessional boundary negotiations over time. Third, we theorize relationships between the social position of professional groups, and the uses and consequences of competitive and collaborative boundary work tactics at intra- and interprofessional levels. Specifically, we show how intraprofessional conflict within high-status groups may affect interprofessional dynamics, we reveal how intraprofessional and interprofessional boundaries may be mobilized positively to support collaborative relations, and we show how mobilization within lower-status groups around interprofessional boundary grievances can paradoxically lead to further marginalization.