Teamwork is one of the most important aspects of healthcare today, not just in a code, but in any healthcare environment. The American Heart Association has been an advocate for research on highly functioning teams for years. In a review of literature about court cases related to poor cardiac operating room outcomes, it was found that 87% of the systems failures that led to payout were communication errors amongst staff The authors also noted that even minor events over the course of a procedure, -those not expected to alter the outcome- decrease the team’s ability to adapt to major issues that may occur, potentially leading to greater morbidity and mortality.
Unfortunately, many team members may have an unrealistic view of how they function within the team, and a misconception of how their teamwork is perceived by others. Teamwork requires work, and this means that there is plenty of opportunity for continued education. Of particular concern remains the core issue of communication. 65% of hospital reported sentinel events to the Joint Commission have in their root cause communication errors. Mortality can clearly be reduced with teamwork training. Personal commitment on the part of healthcare team members to learn more about teamwork and to take advantage of any offered teamwork and communication trainings is very important, even for individuals who already see themselves as good communicators, as perception is not always reality.
Teamwork, effective team dynamics, and closed loop communication are cornerstones of the Heart Association's healthcare provider courses. Practicing these concepts in a classroom environment build the requisite skills for success when every moment counts.
Reference:
Wahr, J. A., Prager, R. L., Abernathy III, J. H., Martinez, E. A., Salas, E., Seifer, P. C., ... Nussmeier, N. A. (2013, September 3). Patient safety in the cardiac operating room: Human factors and teamwork: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 128(10), 1139-1169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0b013e3182a38efa
Unfortunately, many team members may have an unrealistic view of how they function within the team, and a misconception of how their teamwork is perceived by others. Teamwork requires work, and this means that there is plenty of opportunity for continued education. Of particular concern remains the core issue of communication. 65% of hospital reported sentinel events to the Joint Commission have in their root cause communication errors. Mortality can clearly be reduced with teamwork training. Personal commitment on the part of healthcare team members to learn more about teamwork and to take advantage of any offered teamwork and communication trainings is very important, even for individuals who already see themselves as good communicators, as perception is not always reality.
Teamwork, effective team dynamics, and closed loop communication are cornerstones of the Heart Association's healthcare provider courses. Practicing these concepts in a classroom environment build the requisite skills for success when every moment counts.
Reference:
Wahr, J. A., Prager, R. L., Abernathy III, J. H., Martinez, E. A., Salas, E., Seifer, P. C., ... Nussmeier, N. A. (2013, September 3). Patient safety in the cardiac operating room: Human factors and teamwork: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 128(10), 1139-1169. http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0b013e3182a38efa
