Which statement describes collaboration involving the healthcare consumer and family?

• A. Collaborates exclusively with the client, excluding family.
• B. Collaborates with healthcare consumer, family, and others in the conduct of nursing practice.
• C. Works in isolation from family.
• D. Collaboration is optional in care.

Answer: (B)

Collaboration in nursing means actively partnering with the healthcare consumer and their family, along with other members of the care team, to plan, implement, and evaluate care. This approach recognizes the patient as a central participant and values the family’s input, preferences, and cultural context in decisions about treatment and daily care. Involving family and others helps share information, align goals, and coordinate actions across disciplines, which improves safety, continuity, and outcomes.

That’s why the best statement is that collaboration includes the healthcare consumer, family, and others in nursing practice. Excluding family, working in isolation, or treating collaboration as optional would undermine patient-centered care, disrupt teamwork, and reduce the quality of care.