Discussion 1 George
Introduction
Teamwork is a significant aspect of health care delivery. With the increasing complexity and specialization of clinical care, healthcare workers have
to learn more complicated methods and procedures to achieve the desired patient outcomes. Teamwork is associated with reduced medical errors and
improve patient safety. Additionally, teamwork reduces staff burnout since a healthcare professional team is responsible for patient welfare (Zajac et al.,
2021). Various strategies are key to ensuring effective teamwork for better patient outcomes.
Strategies for effective teamwork during patient care
Effective communication across staff members of a clinical team increases teamwork efficacy, leading to improved patient outcomes. Working
towards a common goal, effective communication expands the traditional roles of each member to make decisions as a team (Zajac et al., 2021). One
particular strategy that worked for my clinical team is goal setting at the beginning of the scheduled activities so that each member has a clear purpose
for their roles for the day. Several studies also agree that goal setting provides the direction for implementing procedures and coordinated care.
Organizing regular meetings and using digital communication platforms such as emails and WhatsApp groups to convey information relating to patient
care to team members and debate suggestion is key to improving performance and, ultimately, patient outcomes.
Another effective team strategy is collaboration. By definition, health care involves multiple disciplines- nurses, doctors, and health care specialists
in different fields, working together, communicating often, and sharing resources (Zajac et al., 2021). A clinical team is made up of professionals of
different health specialities and responsibilities. Cumulatively, these differences contribute to the overall patient well-being and safety. The different
teams contribute to patient outcomes by understanding the patient presenting illness, asking them probing questions regarding their situation, making
an initial evaluation, discussing, and providing a recommendation based on their findings.
Strategies for ineffective teamwork during patient care
It is common for challenges to arise during teamwork. According to Hendrick et al. (2017), some of the most common challenges that impede a
team’s efforts to improve patient care include a lack of commitment of team members, different individual team members’ goals, and conflict
about how the team members individually relate to the patient. The input of individual members is vital to realizing the overall team’s goal. Therefore,
each member must demonstrate full commitment to the course of the team. Also, if the goals of the individual members do not align with the team’s
goal, then they might be less committed to achieving the team’s goal (Rawlinson et al., 2021). The healthcare team should help the patient understand
that their care is multidisci ...
Discussion 1 GeorgeIntroduction Teamwork is a significant a
1. Discussion 1 George
Introduction
Teamwork is a significant aspect of health care delivery. With
the increasing complexity and specialization of clinical care,
healthcare workers have
to learn more complicated methods and procedures to achieve
the desired patient outcomes. Teamwork is associated with
reduced medical errors and
improve patient safety. Additionally, teamwork reduces staff
burnout since a healthcare professional team is responsible for
patient welfare (Zajac et al.,
2021). Various strategies are key to ensuring effective
teamwork for better patient outcomes.
Strategies for effective teamwork during patient care
Effective communication across staff members of a clinical
team increases teamwork efficacy, leading to improved patient
outcomes. Working
towards a common goal, effective communication expands the
traditional roles of each member to make decisions as a team
(Zajac et al., 2021). One
particular strategy that worked for my clinical team is goal
setting at the beginning of the scheduled activities so that each
member has a clear purpose
for their roles for the day. Several studies also agree that goal
setting provides the direction for implementing procedures and
coordinated care.
Organizing regular meetings and using digital communication
platforms such as emails and WhatsApp groups to convey
information relating to patient
care to team members and debate suggestion is key to improving
performance and, ultimately, patient outcomes.
Another effective team strategy is collaboration. By definition,
2. health care involves multiple disciplines- nurses, doctors, and
health care specialists
in different fields, working together, communicating often, and
sharing resources (Zajac et al., 2021). A clinical team is made
up of professionals of
different health specialities and responsibilities. Cumulatively,
these differences contribute to the overall patient well -being
and safety. The different
teams contribute to patient outcomes by understanding the
patient presenting illness, asking them probing questions
regarding their situation, making
an initial evaluation, discussing, and providing a
recommendation based on their findings.
Strategies for ineffective teamwork during patient care
It is common for challenges to arise during teamwork.
According to Hendrick et al. (2017), some of the most common
challenges that impede a
team’s efforts to improve patient care include a lack of
commitment of team members, different individual team
members’ goals, and conflict
about how the team members individually relate to the patient.
The input of individual members is vital to realizing the overall
team’s goal. Therefore,
each member must demonstrate full commitment to the course
of the team. Also, if the goals of the individual members do not
align with the team’s
goal, then they might be less committed to achieving the team’s
goal (Rawlinson et al., 2021). The healthcare team should help
the patient understand
that their care is multidisciplinary through effective
communication. The team leader should effectively
communicate the role of each member that
contributes to the patient outcome to avoid unnecessary
conflicts.
3. Conclusion
Better patient outcomes and healthcare delivery heavily rely on
clinical teamwork. Some of the most effective strategies to
ensure positive patient
outcomes include effective communication and interprofessional
collaboration. On the flip side, a lack of commitment for
individual team members,
differences in the individual and team goals, and conflicts
regarding the professionals’’ relationship with the patient can
significantly impair effective
healthcare delivery through teamwork. Therefore, team leaders
should effectively communicate with their team members and
know them personally to
avoid substandard healthcare outcomes.
References
Hendricks, S., LaMothe, V. J., Kara, A., & Miller, J. (2017).
Facilitators and barriers for interprofessional rounding: A
qualitative study. Clinical Nurse
Specialist, 31(4), 219-228.
Rawlinson, C., Carron, T., Cohidon, C., Arditi, C., Hong, Q. N.,
Pluye, P., ... & Gilles, I. (2021). An overview of reviews on
interprofessional collaboration in
primary care: barriers and facilitators. International Journal of
Integrated Care, 21(2).
Zajac, S., Woods, A., Tannenbaum, S., Salas, E., & Holladay,
C. L. (2021). Overcoming Challenges to Teamwork in
Healthcare: A Team Effectiveness
Framework and Evidence-Based Guidance. Frontiers in
Communication, 6, 6.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.606445
Discussion 2 Daniel
4. Effectiveness of Clinical Teams
In the current nursing practice, most healthcare services
are delivered through a collaborative team. The implementation
of coordinated healthcare delivery in a healthcare facility is
complicated because the collaboration involves several
healthcare professionals and work processes that are unique to a
facility. Grady and Porche (2019) stipulate that for a
collaboration team to be effective, all healthcare professionals
involved must be aware of their responsibilities, roles, and
competencies in relation to those of other medical care
professions and organizations. An effective team is also one
where the team members, including the patients, communicate
and merge their observations, expertise, and decision-making
responsibilities to optimize patients' care (Babiker et al., 2014).
Intra-professional and inter-professional collaborative teams
can work together to improve service delivery by guiding,
motivating, and innovating to provide the excellent delivery of
interventions in the institution. According to my experience,
this collaborative effort can improve service delivery protocols,
create good working relationships, and improve patient
feedback after treatment. These collaborations result in patients'
positive regard for duty and the flexibility with which
healthcare services are delivered. Besides, collaborations foster
a positive work environment, which leads to a culture of
collaboration and accountability for meeting the needs of their
respective fields of study and profession.
One of my experiences with clinical team membership
was when I worked as a shift coordinator in an emergency
department that became a comprehensive stroke center. We did
not have much information about ischemic strokes or how to
treat them at the time, and I was part of the collaboration team
that developed a plan for patients who came in with stroke
symptoms that would make them eligible for TPA (Tissue
Plasminogen Activator). This team included the neurologist,
pharmacist, stroke coordinator, emergency medical system, the
5. Neuro ICU team, and the Emergency Department team. The
team had weaknesses and strengths which affected its
effectiveness in achieving the objectives for which it was
formed. Initially, every team and professionals wanted to work
independently and felt they were indispensable and knew what
was best for the stroke candidate over the members of other
teams. Another struggle was deciding on a time to meet and
develop a care plan within a given timeframe set by the hospital
administration. Most healthcare professionals were often busy
with competing tasks. The team members had to be coerced into
dedicating time every week to discuss and develop a plan to
facilitate the presentation of these patients by the emergency
medical team to their admission to the Neuro ICU.
Notably, the team had strengths too, that made it
effective. Healthcare professionals from every discipline
brought their knowledge and skills to the table, which enabled
the team to develop a complete program from education to
admission of stroke patients. As a shift coordinator, this
experience enabled me to understand how each team member
can use their expertise and competencies to care for patients. I
was impressed with the communication among the team
members that facilitated the promptness in developing a care
plan for stroke patients. This collaboration is an example of
how effectiveness can be achieved in collaboration teams and
how interactions can give patients positive experiences.
References
Babiker, A., El Husseini, M., Al Nemri, A., Al Frayh, A., Al
Juryyan, N., Faki, M. O., ... & Al Zamil, F. (2014). Health
care professional development: Working as a team to improve
patient care. Sudanese journal of paediatrics, 14(2), 9.
Grady, P. A., &Porche, D. (2019). Promoting State-of-the-Art
Biobehavioral Approaches in Symptom Science Research
Through Inter-and Intra-Professional
Collaborations. Journal of nursing scholarship: an official
publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society
of Nursing, 51(1), 3.