Question

.       Find 1 scholarly article on Teamwork in Nursing Practice. Briefly summarize the article.

Answer 1

Improved Patient Satisfaction and Outcome

Healthcare professionals serve patients not as individual providers, but as multidisciplinary teams. These teams include nurses, primary care physicians, and specialists. Ideally, every individual on the team works together toward the common goal of enhancing the patient’s health and providing the highest possible level of care. As Wayne Robson, the patient safety and quality lead at Barnsley Hospital Foundation Trust, indicates in a piece for Nursing Times, teamwork in healthcare directly impacts the patient’s satisfaction and outcome.

When nurses communicate regularly with the patient’s physicians and therapists, they can offer a more personalized level of care. Organized methods of communication keep nurses aware of all current treatment plans so they can monitor their patients’ progress accurately.

When multidisciplinary teams meet often, they are able to evaluate patients more thoroughly. Thanks to their continual daily interaction with patients, nurses are often aware of minute details that busy physicians might miss in their hurried rounds. When teams have opportunities to communicate often, nurses can ask critical questions and make insightful suggestions about the best way to manage patient care.

2. Higher Job Satisfaction

Nursing careers may present possible challenges, from long hours to high-stress situations. It is crucial for professionals in this field to maintain a high level of job satisfaction to avoid potential burnout. The International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences published a study that demonstrated that nurses who are more satisfied with their jobs provide better care. A research report by The Society for Human Resource Management revealed that teamwork is closely associated with higher job satisfaction.

In hospitals where registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants, and unit secretaries worked together, employees were more satisfied with their jobs. Mentioned in an NCBI report, a study by AM Rafferty, CBE, FRCN of over 10,000 nurses in England revealed that those who scored their interdisciplinary teamwork high were more likely to have high job satisfaction and lower burnout.

When nurses have access to coordinated teams with organized lines of communication, they may be happier with their daily workplace responsibilities. Establishing strong teams in the workplace has been found to result in a more satisfied workforce, which reflects positively on both co-workers and patients.