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Improving teamwork: Impact of structured interdisciplinary rounds on a hospitalist unit
Author(s) -
O'Leary Kevin J.,
Haviley Corinne,
Slade Maureen E.,
Shah Hiren M.,
Lee Jungwha,
Williams Mark V.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of hospital medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.128
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1553-5606
pISSN - 1553-5592
DOI - 10.1002/jhm.714
Subject(s) - teamwork , medicine , patient safety , unit (ring theory) , intervention (counseling) , nursing , quality management , health care , scale (ratio) , operations management , psychology , management system , mathematics education , political science , law , economics , economic growth , physics , quantum mechanics
BACKGROUND: Effective collaboration and teamwork is essential in providing safe and effective care. Research reveals deficiencies in teamwork on medical units involving hospitalists. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an intervention, Structured Inter‐Disciplinary Rounds (SIDR), on nurses' ratings of collaboration and teamwork. METHODS: The study was a controlled trial involving an intervention and control hospitalist unit. The intervention, SIDR, combined a structured format for communication with a forum for regular interdisciplinary meetings. We asked nurses to rate the quality of communication and collaboration with hospitalists using a 5‐point ordinal scale. We also assessed teamwork and safety climate using a validated instrument. Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess the impact on length of stay (LOS) and cost using both a concurrent and historic control. RESULTS: A total of 49 of 58 (84%) nurses completed surveys. A larger percentage of nurses rated the quality of communication and collaboration with hospitalists as high or very high on the intervention unit compared to the control unit (80% vs. 54%; P = 0.05). Nurses also rated the teamwork and safety climate significantly higher on the intervention unit ( P = 0.008 and P = 0.03 for teamwork and safety climate, respectively). Multivariable analyses demonstrated no difference in the adjusted LOS and an inconsistent effect on cost. CONCLUSIONS: SIDR had a positive effect on nurses' ratings of collaboration and teamwork on a hospitalist unit, yet no impact on LOS and cost. Further study is required to assess the impact of SIDR on patient safety measures. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2010. © 2010 Society of Hospital Medicine.