What means Teamwork in Healthcare?

Owing to the workload and pressure that may be encountered in a healthcare work environment, working in such settings can be quite tense and stressful. Unfortunately, when this remains unresolved, it is the patients who suffer most as the quality of the services they receive is compromised.

While there are other issues that come into play in such instances, patient wellbeing is the key element that justifies the importance of teamwork in health care. The more willing health workers are to work together at a given time, the more satisfying the care they are likely to give to clients.

Stress and boredom can affect a health workers ability to perform to their optimum. In instances where there are very few workers catering for many patients for example, they may feel overwhelmed, and in cases where they do not feel challenged, they may get bored. Working with other people can however help such individuals remove those mental blocks and subsequently improve themselves. The following are the other gains set to be realized through joint effort:

Positive Work Environment: Teamwork in health care promotes positivity; it strengthens relationships between workers and decreases the workload that they have to handle. For this reason, it becomes easier for these workers to put their best foot forward and with everyone advancing a common objective, the aspect of positivity is maintained.

Better Time Management: When team members are informed about what each person brings to the table, they can work better to promote patient safety and successful treatment. This also cuts down on time wastage which is something very important in the healthcare field. Whether a teammate is dealing with nursing assistants, therapists, administrators or physicians, they can function efficiently in the patient’s interest.

Enhanced Productivity: When different players team up, each one of them can maximize on their strengths and direct it towards giving better care. Also, since they will feel that their input is valued, they can share without holding back and as a result, useful ideas can be gathered to improve the overall result accomplished.

Sense of Belonging: Like any other workers, healthcare workers in the current setting come from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds. When working alone therefore, they may feel unappreciated, and sometimes, uncomfortable with the approaches adopted in the provision of healthcare. However, by working in a team, they can get a sense of belonging and feel encouraged to forge ahead even when times are tough.

Patient Satisfaction: Workers in the health sector are likely to be make fewer blunders when they come together, meaning in doing so, the chances of confusing treatment plans is diminished as well. In the same way, they become more competitive and achieve extra efficiency in overall. Because of this, patients are bound to feel more contented.

Possible Barriers to Teamwork in Healthcare

Both team members and patients can gain a lot from teamwork. Even so, there are instances where working in a team may prove difficult, and this may happen for a number of reasons including the following:

• Varying terms of employment
• Communication difficulties due to language barriers
• Gender and status differences
• Differences in agenda
• Self centeredness and stubbornness from some members

All the above factors can impede the growth of team effort. However, by changing work practices and trying to understand the role of each member, healthcare workers operating in a team can get over those barriers and make their efforts a success.

Displaying empathy to co-workers, respecting and upholding their dignity, and having the right attitude also goes a long way when it comes to teamwork in health care. Similarly, teammates should be honest about what they believe to be their strong and weak points in order to get support from each other. When each person knows that there is someone on their side, they can develop trust, and work to build the team rather than to destroy it — trust is paramount to team cohesiveness.

Other than that, the team should seek guidance and support from a senior person outside the group. For instance, practice nurses and reception staff can come together and challenge each other constructively while getting support from a general practitioner. Such an individual can help them with common issues, and also enable them to obtain the re they require.

The Bottom Line

Regardless of who you may be working with in a health facility, teamwork in health care can transform any negatives between you into something helpful. You will be able to respond better to challenges, and you’ll address issues in a satisfactory way as well. Bear in mind, you don’t have to be friends with someone to be able to work with them in a team. As long as you have some clear guidelines and all work towards the same goal, you can get on your way to being winners by delivering the best healthcare to patients.