Communication and Teamwork

Medical and Nursing students must practice communication and teamwork strategies in order to work together effectively and prevent errors. Poor communication and teamwork while dealing with a patient’s health can result in major medical errors and poor quality of care. In fact, a study by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations reports ineffective communication is a major factor in 60 percent of sentinel events – events that can cause loss of life or limb (Lambert, 2013). Texas A & M have took notice and require communication and teamwork courses in their curricula before a nurse is allowed to graduate. Jack Moreland, Ph.D., M.S.N., RN, TAMHSC-College of Nursing assistant professor. “Although each discipline is great at speaking the lingo in their field and carrying out individual tasks at hand, often times there is a disconnect among the specific health professions, and communication is not received by all (Lambert, 2013).”

Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS™) is a program that teaches practical skills hospitals can use to create collaboration among professionals, resolve conflict, information sharing, and in the end provide better patient care. It is composed of four teachable skills: leadership, mutual support, situation monitoring and communication through easy-to-follow modules (Lambert, 2013). Students learn TeamSTEPPS™ strategies during class time. These strategies are then practiced in the healthcare setting when clinical rotations are performed in local hospitals. Communication and teamwork tools, like TeamSTEPPS™, provide powerful mechanisms organizations can utilize to improve the sharing of information across the entire health profession, ultimately reducing errors and leading to safer and more efficient patient care,” Dr. Moreland said (Lambert, 2013).

TeamSTEPPS™ is utilized at many health care facilities. It really opens the door to effective communication. With effective communication comes effective patient care. Quality patient care is our ultimate goal in the health care profession and we should strive to communicate and work together to reach that goal. We should provide our patients the best care possible while limiting errors while they are in our care. Besides good communication makes a pleasant atmosphere and leaves no question while in the process of taking care of others.

http://news.tamhsc.edu/2013/04/15/teamwork-among-health-care-providers-optimixes-patient-care/

References

Lambert, H. (2013, April 15). Teamwork Among Health Care Providers Optimizes Patient Care. Retrieved from News Texas A&M Health Science Center: http://news.tamhsc.edu/2013/04/15/teamwork-among-health-care-providers-optimixes-patient-care/