| Principal Investigator: | Michelle A. Ryerson, MSN, RN, NEA-BC |
| Organization: | University Health System |
Abstract
Problem
The leadership team of a large academic public health system in South Central Texas identified the need to improve quality and safety for patients receiving radiology services. Radiology physicians, nurses, technologists and other health professionals come together to provide diagnostic and treatment services for patients. Their work activities must be coordinated to facilitate safe patient care.
Evidence
The National Quality Forum’s third safe practice for 2009 directed health care organizations to establish a proactive, systematic, organization-wide approach to developing team-based care, specifically through team training and team-led performance initiatives.
Strategy
A TeamSTEPPS training initiative was used to determine impact on teamwork and safety climate within a radiology department. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a comparison group was used to assess teamwork and safety climate before and after training using an established survey tool that contains 14 teamwork and 13 safety climate questions (Sexton et al., 2006).
Practice Change
TeamSTEPPS training was provided to staff members of Interventional Radiology and Cardiology as a representative micro-system within the Radiology Department.
Results
All members of the original sample were resurveyed within sixty days after training. Results revealed improvements in 2 teamwork and 4 safety climate survey questions for the group that received TeamSTEPPS training.
Recommendations
Teamwork training initiatives using TeamSTEPPS strategies and tools may be beneficial in other radiology modalities. TeamSTEPPS consists of versatile and useful tools available in the public domain to improve communication and teamwork.
Lessons Learned
TeamSTEPPS skills must be observed and reinforced in practice to ensure behavior change and sustainment. Various training options should be explored for getting physicians engaged in team training, including the use of physician champions and role models.
Bibliography
- Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research. (2008). TeamSTEPPSTM National Implementation Project. Retrieved August 23, 2009, from http://teamstepps.ahrq.gov
- Attebury, N. A. (2007). Multidisciplinary team building in radiology through the use of shared governance principles. Journal of Radiology Nursing, 26(3), 99–101.
- Baker, D., Salas, E., King, H., Battles, J., & Barach, P. (2005). The role of teamwork in the professional education of physicians: Current status and assessment recommendations. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 31(4), 185–202.
- National Patient Safety Forum (2009). Safe practices for better healthcare: 2009 update. Washington, D.C.: National Quality Forum.
- Sexton J.B., Helmreich, R.L., Neilands,T.B., Rowan, K., Vella, K., Boyden, J., Roberts, P.R., and Thomas, E.J. The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties, Benchmarking Data, and Emerging Research. BMC Health Services Research 2006; 6:44. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/6/44/abstract
- Weinrub, J. C. (2004). Building a team for change in an academic radiology department. Radiology, 232(2), 327–330.