There Are No Human Subjects Involved, Capstone Project Example

The Effectiveness of Team STEPPS as it Compares to Civilian Best Practices

Methods

Teamwork in the healthcare setting is an important factor in dealing with patient quality and the successful collaboration. The main purpose of this research to find how the best team strategy can be implemented to be cost-effective in helping to develop solutions that will mitigate and eventually eliminate issues in the healthcare field. These issues include focusing on my teamwork efficiency, effectiveness, and performance in order to increase patient satisfaction and safety, and reducing medical errors. In looking at the analysis of Team STEPPS (Team Strategies & Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety), a teamwork system in which offers a solution that will improve communication and collaboration within the organization. In focusing how this program could be useful in organizations, the research question that can be formed from this report is to find the analysis of the Team STEPPS in regards to looking at other strategies in which have proven to be factors to successful teamwork collaboration, efficiency, and performance in organizations.

There are several steps that can be taken to look at previous empirical studies and literature to draw rational conclusions, using the information from the case studies used in this research methodology. In order to come to a conclusion, this paper, using an empirical research methodology, will focus on utilizing qualitative data that will require relevant information from the specified databases and documents used in order to analyze the information presented in the tables. The data was gathered based on the programs that have utilized some parts of Team STEPPS, as well as other methods in gaining team collaboration, improved performance, and efficiency in the healthcare setting. The information will be taken from the University database, case studies, and the articles presented in the literature review, such as the National Center for Biological Information, PubMEd, Institute of Medicine, and other articles used in supporting data taken from the different case studies that utilize components of Team STEPPS. This type of research method is the most appropriate for this objective as it is considered the systemic approach in comprehending the experience of others, which is pertinent in this study.  This type of approach is more appropriate for this study because, it allows for a better understanding of answering the research question, the process being endorsed, and the research perspective. Therefore as this research focuses on understanding the implementation of Team STEPPS, and also the benefits associated with this program in the healthcare organization, in which a case study approach would be the most effective. The following tables outline several case studies that describe the characteristics of each empirical study. The literature research strategy consisted of using keywords such as “team,” “collaboration,” “team effectiveness,” and “team efficiency” from the period of 2002 to 2010, in which the case studies are presented in Table 1.Only the case studies that dealt exclusively with the factors of interprofessional implementation of strategies towards teamwork were chosen. The keywords were defined based on their importance in Team STEPPS, and the definitions used in each case study. Team was defined as a pair or a group of healthcare professionals made up of general doctors, nurse practitioners, and other hospital staff. Collaboration is defined by the willingness for the teams or individuals in the healthcare setting to work together to improve efficiency. The process in which team provide a structure towards a collective action towards focusing on the needs and care of the patients. This is correlation to team effectiveness, and team efficiency is shown through the results of the collaboration and the structure implemented in the healthcare setting.

The study only used empirical studies that dealt exclusively withdeterminants of interprofessional team effectiveness, collaboration, and efficiency that were key words used in each of the case studies. In order to be considered an empirical research, the case studies had to use organizational attempts to implement team collaborative practices and provide data on the factors of teams in the healthcare settings. This information was used to conduct an analysis of the qualitative methodology utilized, the type of healthcare settings, the conceptualization of collaboration, and the identification of the case study determinants, such as the key words used. There are several elements that influence collaborative relationships, and factors for teamwork, but there are also factors that discourage as well.

Research Analysis

In looking over the case studies, those that fostered a positive atmosphere that leaned toward implementing collaborative team systems, were more effective in increasing patient care, safety, and improved communication throughout the healthcare setting. Based on the data presented in the table, the case studies focused on private and public practices with emphasis on teams. Looking at Table 1, the paper uses 9 studies that show different empirical research that identifies the main factors of determinants (or factors) of successful teamwork within different organizations from the implemented programs. This information can be used in helping to implement or create a systematic or holistic approach to be more effective within healthcare organizations.

Results

The results are based on the methods used in screening the nine articles used in the empirical studies between the links in the type of facilities that were determinants for team effectiveness, efficiency, and collaboration. In linking the research to the present research, the main factors in accordance with the theoretical work and to the empirical studies reviewed, shows how they were working together for collaborative efforts. The following table of the results summarizes the factors of the empirical studies, in which both encourage and discourage collaborative relationships, as well as links towards efficiency and effectiveness in working as a team. The studies were reviewed based on their general determinants for working as a team. In looking at Table 2, that shows the interpersonal relationships between the team members, the organizational factors, and the systematic factors that has been influenced by the type of environment in the organization. The general determinants are the factors external to the organization, such as the characteristics of cultural, social, professional, and administrative support. It shows the impact, negative and positive on the factors of effectiveness, collaboration, and efficiency. The social system: the social factors plays are a powerful influence that exist between the professional members of the team, and it impacts how the factors of team effectiveness, efficiency, and collaboration. The cultural system: Particular cultural values have an impact as well in the development of the determinants between team members. Healthcare teams will have a strong cultural similarity for autonomy in the setting.  The professional system: which has a significant impact on the development of the healthcare setting. This involves training and course development with staff members and physicians. Administrative support, the support from administer affects the teams willingness to collaborate, be effective, and efficient in patient care.

Based on the results those that showed more willingness to collaborate and provide team effectiveness and efficiency were more conclusive in fostering a providing high-quality patient care, improved communication with administration, and increased patient safety. The results based on the positive and negative factors in the table, show that the case studies were exceptionally positive towards implementing factors that increased the level of efficiency from small to large, and were largely dependent on administrative support. Those that showed negative power differences were generally hospital based were communication was lacking. In the same areas, each most had different perspectives on collaboration, and putting nurse staff in leadership roles. Those in smaller settings encouraged collaboration and teamwork in order to improve on their efficiency and effectiveness towards their primary care. The results were tabulated based on the studies’ use of data gathering in which provided information on their efforts or lack thereof of trying to improve their healthcare services. The increase in years, places importance on the change in administrative support, as more are seeing the impact on team collaboration, effectiveness, and efficiency on improving all aspects of the healthcare setting.

(-) Fosters collaboration, effectiveness, and efficiency (+) hinders interprofessional collaboration, effectiveness, and efficiency

Organizations are realizing that their type of work is heavily reliant on teamwork, as greater significance has been placed on quality patient care, reduced costs, and effective healthcare services. Research has been proven to show that by implementing programs that work in bring real time experience, competencies, and judgment to the variety of organizations can work together to be more effective and efficiency for better healthcare services. Looking at the different healthcare teams, there was more of an effort placed on improving healthcare services in the realm of small environments, to larger healthcare organizations, that had a greater responsibility to the patients as well as the general public. Not only does the healthcare industry majority encourage interpersonal collaboration in forming teams, but also looking for a viable solution in which can be implemented to work with established practices to improve their healthcare services. In looking at these results, the only problems that are a hindrance in the practices are power differences between doctors and other healthcare professionals. In providing a structured program or framework that encourages interpersonal relations, collaboration, efficiency, and teamwork amongst healthcare professional members, then they can see an improvement in healthcare services for the organization and their patients.

References

Bodenheimer, Thomas. (2010). Building Teams in Primary Care Case Studies. California Healthcare Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.chcf.org/~/media/MEDIA%20LIBRARY%20Files/PDF/B/PDF%20BuildingTeamsInPrimaryCareCaseStudies.pdf

Borrill, C., West, M. A., Dawson, J., Shapiro, D., Rees, A., Richards, A. et al. (2002). Team working and effectiveness in health care. Findings from the health care team.  Effectiveness project. Aston Centre for Health Service Organization Research.

Grumbach, Kevin, Bodenheimer, Thomas. (2010). Can Health Care Teams Improve Primary Care Practice?JAMA. 291 (10). 1246-1251. Retrieved from http://assets1.mytrainsite.com/501187/6_-_jama_article_2004__can_health_care_teams.pdf

Hojat, M., Nasca, T. J., Cohen, M., Fields, S. K., Rattner, S. L., Griffiths, M. et al. (2001). Attitudes toward physician-nurse collaboration: A cross-cultural study of male and female physicians and nurses in the United States and Mexico. Nursing Research, 50, 123–128.

Sicotte, C., D’Amour, D., &Moreault, M. (2002). Interdisciplinary collaboration within Quebec community health care centers. Social Science & Medicine, 55, 991–1003

Sile?n-Lipponen, M., Turunen, H., &Tossavainen, K. (2002). Collaboration in the operating room: The nurses’ perspective. Journal of Nursing Administration, 32, 16–19.