Multidisciplinary team approach is a
crucial aspect not only in Nursing but also in all the health care
related professions as we are interdependant on each other for
smooth functioning.Nurses work along with physicians and other
specialists (physiotherapists,radiologists,pathologists,social
workers) inorder to provide well organized and extensive care. So
teamwork is important to ensure effective communication and
promoting desirable patient outcomes.
Importance of team work in
the field of Nursing/ How team work helps nursing
profession:
- Improved patient
satisfaction: Effectiveness of teamwork in a healthcare
institution directly affects the patient’s satisfaction and care
outcome. Nurses communicate regularly with the patient’s as well as
the physicians and other therapists. In other words nurses
interacts continually with the multidisciplinary team as well as
the client. So nurses can offer a more personalized level of care
and a well organized methods of communication helps to keep the
nurse aware of the updated treatment plans that helps to monitor
their patients’ progress with accuracy.
- High Job
Satisfaction: Long working hours and unpleasant job
environment leads to burout and job dissatisfaction.An organisation
where the nurse's of all grades along with other health care
providers works harmoniously, better will be the job satisfaction
level too. Setting up strong teams with professionals in the
workplace may result in a more contented workforce, that positively
reflects on both co-workers and the patient population.
- Increased
accountability: a well established team with proper job
description for each professional, clearly defines their
professional accountability too. It makes everyone consious, to
work with responsibilitiy and minimises the risk for error. Safety
errors pertaining to patient care, may result from the inability to
communicate effectively and such incidences puts the hospital and
the healthcare providers at great risk for legal
ramifications.
- Espirit de corps or team
spirit and lower rate of staff turnover is the feeling
that creates a sense of unity and belongingness that helps to main
the spirit to work together with mutual understanding,respect and
loyalty. Organisations that emphasis on teamwork, have nurses who
are more satisfied with their jobs and it can retain the staffs
minimizing turnover rate.
- Improves staff
engagement: Engagement at work place is directly related
to the relationship between employees. When the team works together
in phases of difficulties and supports each other during crisis
leads to quicker adaptation. Nurses who are highly engaged in their
workplace are generally more motivated to provide high levels of
care.
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Skills that are necessary to become
a leader and a member of a team in the BSHS program.
Few qualities that one should
possess to become a member/leader of a helath team/health program
are:
- Intellingence: A leader works
closely with the trainees or the team members. Cognitive abilities
to identify and support during stressful situations helps the peers
to cope up easily and makes them ready to face challeges.
- Integrity: Is the ability to make
right choices in crucial situations. In addition to that an
effective leader can adapt to use and teach, ethically viable
practices that enables novices to make safe and effective care
decisions.
- Critical thinking: With increasing
needs for multidiscipliniary collaboration, ability for critical
thinking in diverse suituations has become an essential skill.The
growing trend for autonomy in nursing and other health science
profesions, the ability of critical thinking will prove to be an
asset.
- Communication skills: Effective
communication skills helps to influence the team members, helps in
clarification of doubts and proper exchange of information.
- Mentorship: Good leaders always
keep a close watch on the needs of their peers, which helps to
identify necessary training needs,guidance and mentoring.
- Assertiveness: ability to perceive
and vebalize the right and wrong choices is equally important for a
leader as well as a member of health team. It helps to improve the
confidence and prevents unnecessary exploitation.
- Visionary: A leader with wisdom and
ability to forsee changes could guide the team members/followers to
identify the changing trends and become organises training
programmes necessary to keep in pace with the changes.