Why Teamwork Matters Part 2: Preparing to be an Effective Team Member

Why is it necessary to be a skilled team member in healthcare? 

Quality care is the number one goal of healthcare and high-quality care is a result of two main factors: coordination and collaboration.^[1] And these two factors depend on two main abilities: the ability to work effectively as a team member and the ability to communicate clearly. ❤️ At its heart, high-quality care is reliant on effective communication skills--and effective team members. (For more on the "why teamwork matters" please see Post 1 in this series)

Improving patient care through teamwork

Skilled team members have strong communication skills. They are able to convey information accurately, actively listen to others, and engage in meaningful dialogue. This promotes shared decision-making and reduces the potential for misunderstandings. And this ultimately improves patient care. Clear communication includes timely and accurate information sharing, speaking up with additional perspectives, and actively listening. With these skills, potential errors are identified and mitigated promptly.

Effective communication is also critical for the efficient coordination of expertise and treatments. Skilled team members encourage colleagues to contribute (and communicate) their specialized knowledge and expertise towards coordinated patient care. This ultimately leads to optimized resource utilization, reduced wait times, improved patient satisfaction, accurate assessments, and comprehensive care plans.

The ability^[2] to communicate effectively is a skill that takes practice, especially as there are so many ways to communicate in healthcare settings!

• Face-to-face verbal communication
• Descriptive, concise and accurate chart notes^[3]
• Relay (and receive) professional and comprehensive SBARs^[4] over the phone, through voicemail, or in an electronic chart
• Reply in texts
• Provide accurate and caring instructions for patients, families, and close ones in a compassionate way.

Whew!^[5]

Healthcare professionals often face complex and challenging situations that require quick thinking and problem-solving abilities–and the ability to communicate effectively even under pressure. Highly skilled team members are necessary in complex situations where patients benefit from professionals leveraging collective expertise and perspectives to address complex, and multi-faceted problems effectively and efficiently.^[6]

How does one acquire these important team skills?

We are so glad you asked! Practicing team skills in less stressful and fast-paced environments is crucial. Active collaboration, brainstorming, receiving and giving feedback, collaborative problem solving, critical thinking and clinical reasoning, and speaking up with perspectives that might be challenging for some to hear is tricky even in non-stressful environments, but add the layer of providing quality care and look out! Under pressure, stuff can leak out and not always in an attractive way.^[7] We all need these skills to find innovative solutions, adapt to changing circumstances, and work collaboratively with team members to provide optimal caring with patients.

Practice, practice, practice

In IPE events like SITEs and Real People, Real Experiences, participants have opportunities to practice team skills–in real time with real team members. There are still stakes for these teams, but no lives are on the line. Participants work in self-guided small teams with no expert, tutor, or facilitator to rely on. Learners work on their own together, building relationships, completing team tasks, clarifying team roles, and developing collaborative competencies.

Practicing team skills as part of pre-service and in-service training in healthcare encourages ongoing professional development and learning. Collaborating with team members from various disciplines provides opportunities for knowledge exchange, exposure to different perspectives, and the discovery of best practices. By actively engaging in teamwork, we can expand our skill sets, broaden our understanding of patient care, and stay abreast of advancements in various fields. This continuous learning not only benefits individual professionals but also contributes to the growth and advancement of the healthcare team as a whole.

A strong and cohesive healthcare team relies on the individual skills and attitudes of its members. By explicitly practicing team skills, healthcare professionals contribute to a positive work environment characterized by mutual respect, trust, and support. Collaboration promotes a sense of belonging, reduces burnout, and enhances job satisfaction among team members. A supportive work environment ultimately translates into better patient care and improved staff retention. An effective team is one that provides high quality care and supports one another in providing care.

The bottom line:

(Learn) Practice (Reflect), (Learn) Practice (Reflect), (Learn) Practice (Reflect)

All centrally facilitated IPE events in the health sciences at the University of Saskatchewan provide: (1) relevant information and resources about teamwork, (2) carefully designed team tasks to practice team skills, and (3) reflection questions for individuals and teams.

Sometimes we hear comments about “jumping through hoops” to complete events. We would like to say that, yup, a person can just jump through hoops, but at the end of the day team skills have been practiced, and hoop-jumping and team skills muscles have been developed. 😏

Conclusion

In healthcare, being a skilled team member goes beyond individual competence. It is about cultivating collective competence that includes effective collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills that enhance patient care and safety. By integrating team skill development into pre-service preparation, healthcare professionals-in-training can develop the necessary competencies to work seamlessly within interprofessional teams. The results are improved patient care, efficient care delivery, and a positive work environment that supports both personal and professional growth. Embracing and practicing team skills is a critical step towards achieving excellence in healthcare and providing the best possible care to patients. And developing the necessary skills starts on Day 1 of pre-service professional training.^[8]

^[1] Seamless coordination and integrated collaboration can lead to improved patient care, reduced medical errors, and enhanced overall patient safety.

Effective teamwork can streamline processes, ensure efficient workflow, and reduce/eliminate  redundancies or/and delays in patient management.

^[2] This is assuming that the desire to hear from colleagues and patients, families and close ones is already in place and that you value what they bring to the table.

^[3] The ability to chart effectively, accurately, and efficiently is a must if you ever want to get home!

^[4] Situation Background Assessment Recommendations

^[5] The methods of communicating in academic settings aren’t the same ways that professionals communicate in the workplace. Finding ways to practice professional communication skills in pre-service training is essential.

^[6] Continuum of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Health and Social Care provides a great visual in Figure 1 on page 8 of the Continuum of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Health and Social Care.

^[7] You might want to check out the blog post From Acting Professional to Being Professional for more on this topic.

^[8] Perhaps not literally day 1…but pretty close to day 1 🙂