Improving Nursing Teamwork through TeamSTEPPS

Abstract

Nursing teamwork is a critical element of patient care delivery. The willingness to work cross-functionally is imperative to ensure patients’ progression through the health care continuum in a safe manner. TeamSTEPPS is an evidence-based practice (EBP) intervention that encompasses tools and strategies to enhance teamwork. In this EBP change project, a TeamSTEPPS tool called huddle, was used to improve teamwork of nurses in three subgroups (pre-op, block room, and postop) in a Same Day Surgery (SDS) unit. Teamwork climate scores from Culture Pulse Surveys were used to determine project success. Huddle compliance was another success determinant. The results revealed high participation percentages in TeamSTEPPS Essentials training and the charge nurse huddles, which contributed to an improvement in SDS nursing teamwork.