Teamwork culture

O Leary et al. (2010) Structured Inter-disciplinary Rounds Six months Teaching service unit inatertiary care teaching hospital Safety Attitudes Questionnaire Teamwork culture scores higher on intervention unit (82.4%) than control unit (77.3%)... 

Watts et al. (2010) Medical Team Training One Day Operating room Safety Attitudes Questionnaire Teamwork culture increased from 66% to 72% safety culture increased from 67% to 73%... 

Timmel et al. (2010) CUSP Across one year Surgical floor of an academic medical centre Safety Attitudes Questioimaire Teamwork culture improved from 65% to 71% and safety culture improved from 61% to 69%... 

Pettker et al. (2009) Patient safety programme with eight components Two years Tertiary-level academic medical centre Safety Attitudes Questiormaire Teamwork culture improved from 39% to 55% and safety culture improved from 33% to 55%... 

A Safety Attitudes Questionnaire was administered to operating theatre staff before and after a simulation- based team training program, to assess the effectiveness of the program in changing the safety and teamwork culture. At present, insufficient data are currently available to allow statistically valid conclusions to be drawn. 

Teamwork culture requires that teamwork should be practised in cross functional teams to encourage a borderless organization. 

This workshop focused on factors such as work processes, systems, and technologies that could enable and accelerate the pace of innovation and increase the yield of major innovations from work in the basic chemical sciences. More specifically, speakers identified teamwork, commitment, standardized portfolio management, clear goals, well-defined milestones, and effective technology transfer as some of the characteristics of innovative institutions and practices. Successful approaches to innovation have taken place in different environments and between different environments—despite infrastmcture and cultural differences, both interdisciplinary collaborations and collaborations between industry and academia have proven beneficial for all parties. Funding must also be available to promote innovation at stages of research often ignored. 

Jain M, Miller L, Belt D, et al. 2006. Decline in ICU adverse events, nosocomial infections and cost through a quality improvement initiative focusing on teamwork and culture change. Qual Saf Health Care 15 235—9. 

Teamwork can also be incompatible with cultural norms. The United States has a very individualistic culture (Hofstede 1980). In addition, organizational norms, practices, and labor—management relations may be incompatible with team job design, making its use more difficult. 

The take away from this example of a company using teamwork to engage all employees is that a work culture will only change if you modify some of the current processes that drive your existing culture. 

In Chapter 3, I mentioned teamwork being a significant element of the continuous improvement effort where I was employed. The two senior leaders of the business at that time understood that teamwork was not just a fad and that it could be used as a cultural change tool. The teams were... 

Design and standardization Protocols and guidelines Information technology Technical solutions Culture of high reliability organizations Mindfulness and hazard awareness Training in anticipation and recovery Teamwork and leadership... 

Watching teams and teamwork quickly reveals that a group of weU intentioned individuals does not make a team and furthermore, that teamwork has to be planned and organized. In this section we will review some apparently simple interventions, which turn out to have quite profound effects. Daily goals, preoperative and post-operative checklists seem mundane, and this partly accounts for clinicians resistance to their use. However, a checklist is not a piece of paper or even a list it is a team intervention which, used well, can affect the wider team functioning, the relationships across professions and hierarchies and even the values and safety culture of the team. To my mind, the impact of these simple tools on clinical processes and patient outcome suggests that their effect can only be fully understood by appreciating their wider impact on team performance. 

Other authors supplement these factors with the need for clear roles and responsibilities, spedfic structures and resources, education and training and so on. Ross Baker and his colleagues, following a literature review, have drawn these various studies together into a table of commonly identified factors (Table 20.1). In previous chapters we have already seen the importance placed on culture, information, measurement communication and teamwork, so it is no surprise that these are included. Before we turn to the case studies however, we need to address the critical role of leadership. 

The Facility Supervisor and Hot Cell Operators are qualification positions requiring successful completion of a formal training program before an individual Is allowed to operate specific HCF equipment and/or controls unsupervised. Proficiency for the qualified positions is demonstrated by minimum acceptable scores on written tests and by observation of the individual s operating skill with manipulators, production process equipment, and plant safety equipment and safety systems. Qualification also requires demonstrated adherence to conduct of operations principles, ability to follow procedures, and commitment to cultivating an environment of teamwork and continuous improvement. Staff contributions to improvement of procedures and processes are actively encouraged as a way to enhance the safety and work culture. 

Probably the most traditional type of inspection is that conducted by the laboratory supervisor. This form of inspection presents an excellent opportunity to promote a culture of safety and prudence within an organization. The supervisor gains the opportunity to take a close look at the facilities and operations. He or she also can discuss with individual workers issues of interest or concern that may fall outside the scope of the actual inspection. Again, a constructive and positive approach to observed problems and issues will foster an attitude of cooperation and leadership with regard to safety. It can help build and reinforce a culture of teamwork and cooperation that has benefits far beyond protecting the people and physical facilities. 

Two of the key factors to be addressed when introducing the ISO 9000 initiative are developing a customer-focused culture and teamwork. These factors are often not given sufficient attention during the implementation of the ISO 9000 system. This can result in a static management system rather than one which is dynamic and responsive to market demands and competitive pressures. For a very extensive discussion for an effective implementation of the ISO 9000 standards, see Refs. 2 and 3 for a thorough discussion on documentation and its proper implementation, see Ref. 5. 

Teamwork is essential for the successful ISO 9000 implementation as well as for the development of the management system and to cultivate a continuous improvement culture throughout the work force. Team building should begin at the outset of the project. The initial role of the team(s), led by a facilitator—preferably in the role of a project manager—is to closely examine the existing systems and methods in place and question their applicability in the current environment. The requirements of the customer must be translated into departmental requirements and their impact assessed. Customer personnel will often communicate with different levels and functional areas of the enterprise ... 

EWB challenge - annual proj ect of engineers without borders, Australia, established in 2007, to provide students with an opportunity to learn about design, teamwork communication through real, inspiring, cross-cultural development projects, http //www.ewb.oig.au/whatwedo/institute/ewb-chilenge sthash. VwPCj S Ki.dpuf... 

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