The challenges in the contemporary environment and the various situations that individuals have to encounter push people to think about how it is better and more effective to handle them. While some people believe that solving problems individually is always the best idea, others highlight the importance of teams and collaboration. For instance, the chapter from the textbook states that many professionals point out that the small group is the most essential social formation due to the fact that. from early childhood, people are surrounded and influenced by them. Therefore, the following paper will examine the strengths and weaknesses of teams in various situations.
As was already mentioned, teams play a critical role in the lives of every individual. In all the different contexts, such as business, society, and personal lives, teams are a crucial component that impacts individuals’ development, the way we see the world and communicate with others. In addition, small groups give people an opportunity to look at specific issues from a different perspective and change their attitudes based on careful evaluation and argumentation. Thus, it can be stated that in all the identified contexts teams play a role in advancing people’s knowledge and making them think.
One situation that comes to mind when teamwork would be beneficial is when an organization or a company is presented with a number of choices. In this case, there is no one right decision but rather a number of different ones that can bring different benefits and drawbacks. As a result, through discussion, collaboration, and even misunderstandings, a group can find the most appropriate option and bring positive change or improvement to its organization (Tripathy, 2018). Hence, the situation with a number of possible outcomes is a great example of a case when a team is a benefit.
However, as with everything in this world, problem-solving by teams has both its strengths and weaknesses. Based on the information mentioned above, the main strength of teams in the context of problem-solving is the ability to look at the issue from different perspectives and analyze it objectively. Additionally, teams contribute to personal development because processes that happen within them enrich individual knowledge and understanding of certain things. Talking about the weaknesses, one that is obvious is a huge risk of conflicts due to differences in opinions and perceptions of problems. This weakness also leads to another one – teamwork, especially in problematic situations, is time-consuming. Individuals have to consider the opinions of everyone which takes a lot of time and consumes the energy of all members.
Oftentimes, teams that operate in different environments decide to have a participant-observer. As explained by Crossman (2019), a participant-observer is the person who becomes a part of the small group for the purpose of collecting data and understanding a problem or phenomenon in the group. The main role of this individual is to analyze the situation from an objective point of view and make conclusions about the relationships in the team, people’s beliefs and values, and the ways of improving collaboration within (Crossman, 2019). Consequently, participant-observer seems to be an essential component of groups that contribute to their effective work and problem-solving abilities.
Even though individuals are acquainted with the benefits of small groups, many of them still believe that individual work is more effective. These people are definitely right to some extent because individual problem-solving has many advantages; nevertheless, it has some significant weaknesses, too. When solving problems individually people rely on only on themselves and are not influenced by the opinions of other people which means that they act and manage the problem the way they desire – this is definitely an advantage. However, in this case, they also see the issue from their personal prism and cannot analyze everything objectively. As a result, they can be left with a negative outcome.
The same as for collaborative problem-solving, there are many situations in which an individual should be the only person who makes the decision. A prime example of that is when a specific problem is connected to this individual only and the outcomes of the decision will affect only their life. When making these choices, people should rely only on themselves without seeking help or support from group members because the situation simply does not affect them in any way. In addition, the problem should be managed individually when it needs specific expertise or knowledge from a person who has certain experience in the sphere of the problem.
Overall, it can be concluded that both teamwork and individual work have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, instead of choosing what is better and being in constant conflict with others about it, people have to learn to adapt to different situations and apply an approach that suits them more appropriately. At the end of the day, it is a matter of the personal preferences and personality characteristics of individuals. Therefore, the presented paper discussed and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of teams in various situations.
References
Adams, K., Galanes, G., & Hoelscher, C. (n.d.). Communicating in Groups: Applications and Skills.
Man is a social creature, and this unique feature percolates into his personal and business circles. Indeed, teamwork harnesses the energy of different moving parts to achieve a specific objective. However, a good team member requires skills such as active listening and open communication to minimize conflict in the group. Whereas I am truly confident in my capability to be a team player, I could use strategies such as understanding my role in a group and allowing others to help me improve my abilities.
I agree with my Elements of Teamwork worksheet, and I believe it accurately depicts how much I enjoy working in teams. My ability to represent the issues respectfully affecting me is an asset to a proper team function. Communication is vital at every stage of teamwork due to the added strength and coordination it offers the group dynamics. Mainly, I pay close attention to problematic areas, formulate questions explicitly targeting the issue, and ensure they are brought up promptly. The score on the assessment test reflects these abilities and my positional value in any team.
Concerning leadership, I would argue I would make a poor leader, mainly due to my inability to listen to my teammates actively. Whereas I can communicate quickly, I find trouble paying attention to the needs of others or offering helpful feedback when they present me with their problems. Additionally, I find strength in working out issues within the comfort of a team structure; thus, both success and failure are shared equally. However, being a leader carries a solace that requires said leader to shoulder the blame if anything happens in the group or to make crucial decisions that influence the entire group. These skills are integral in shaping and defining a good leader, and I critically lack them.
One of the strategies I can utilize to improve my teamwork skills is to understand and contextualize my role within the group. Identifying what is expected will ensure I deliver to the group without fail (Dalley, 2021). Additionally, I need to change my attitude and allow others to help me to the same degree that I offer my assistance. Accepting help is a form of deference that shows respect and generates a team camaraderie spirit (Dalley, 2021). Integrating these two strategies into my current skill set will make me a more effective team member.
In conclusion, a good team member communicates and respects his teammates. I have practical communication skills that make me a good team member. Furthermore, I can flexibly handle any abrupt changes to the group dynamic and reliably handle the tasks assigned to me. Nonetheless, I can improve my ability by accepting help from others on challenging tasks and understanding what is expected from me in the group. Teamwork skills are the foundation of societal progress and technological advancements for humanity.
Many life situations occur where people cannot work single-handedly. In such a situation, a person needs another person’s assistance to accomplish a given task. This is because working alone would lead to work stresses and inefficient work. In a school setup, for example, the administration needs workers (teaching and the non-teaching staff), and teachers need the students. Every stakeholder in the school setup has to play his/her role for learning to proceed; otherwise, the setup would not be a school. Teamwork and the team ministry started before the birth of Christ, and the bible encouraged people to work as a team. According to Ecclesiastics 4: 9-12, the scripture says that two are better than one. The scripture illustrates the scripture by saying that if one person falls, the other one will be there to lift him up. However, if a person walks alone and happens to fall, there will be no one to lift him up (Thomas, 2000). The scriptures state that two people will keep warm lying together. The above encouragements from the book of Ecclesiastics encourage team ministry with a special conclusion that a threefold cord tied in teamwork is not easily broken.
Most compelling biblical verse that encourage team ministry
I sometimes wonder why God created the human being with many body parts, where each part has a specific function. To reach for something, the hand needs the eye to see and legs to move to the location of the item. In first Corinthians12: 20-25, the bible indicates that the eyes can never say that they do not require the hands to perform their duties. All body parts are indispensable. Despite how weak some body parts may seem, they all have a specific duty to perform. The scriptures in first Corinthians depicted above drove me to the biblical verse that stands out to be the most compelling in developing and implementing my tea ministry. In the scripture in Romans 12: 1-21, God appeals to people to present their bodies to Him. God pleads with people and tells them not to conform to the wicked world. He insists that people ought to live a holy life of spirituality, and they ought to worship Him at all days (Groff, 2003). The Roman scripture connects with the scripture in first Corinthians and talks of one body that has many parts with different functions. In the same manner, though we are many individuals in the world, we are one body in Christ. In Christ‘s one body, we are individuals who depend on one another, and we should collectively come together to help each other.
Incorporating the biblical teamwork principles in real life
In the real life, people have to work in teams to succeed. Companies have employees who have to pull forces to ensure the company succeeds. Every individual’s contribution, however small, is not negligible. The security guard’s role is as important as the manager’s role in an organization. Team ministries and team work not only applies in companies, but also in churches, in community work, in games, in health institutions and in learning institutions among many other places.
Conclusion
As discussed, team ministries are encouraged in all aspects of life. Every individual must be willing to do whatever is takes to be an efficient team player. It is noteworthy that individuals do not have the same capabilities, and they cannot contribute equally in a team ministry. However, their contributions, however small, are of paramount importance. To become an efficient team player, people must have a common understanding of their divine purposes and they should always attribute their roles within the ministries.
References
Groff, K.I. (2003). Active Spirituality: A guide for seekers and ministers. Bethesda: Alban Institute.
Thomas, G.L. (2000). The Glorious Pursuit: Embracing the virtues of Christ. Colorado Springs: NavPress.
Every human being is unique. Not even identical twins share much beyond their physical appearance. The implication of this uniqueness is that people usually have a set of innate abilities that are unique to them. Additionally, each individual usually exhibits a variation in tastes and preferences. In other words, if an analysis of the tastes and preferences of a group of people is conducted, a wide variation will be established. Similarly, an analysis of the innate abilities of a group of people will reveal an explicit distinction in the skill sets of everyone. These differences have been a subject of debate for a long time. To some, individual differences are a limiting factor because they are often the reason behind the conflicts that occur among people (Long, Zhong-Ming, & Wei, 2011). To others, they are a blessing because they ensure that there are enough people with the different sets of skills required to accomplish different tasks.
This latter perception seems to be the reason behind the development of teamwork. Research shows that well constituted teams that work in harmony yield a synergistic effect that multiplies their productivity (Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2000). Their productivity surpasses the sum total of the results of each individual working alone (Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2000). As a result, teamwork is fostered among schoolchildren, college students, and employees alike. The overwhelming attention that the concept of teamwork receives forms the basis of this assessment.
Understanding Teams
It is imperative to understand what a team is prior to assessing the concept of teamwork or team behavior. According to Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers (2000) a team is a group of people with complementary skills and are united by a common purpose. The efficacy of a team is usually evaluated based on its ability to achieve its purpose. The complementary skills possessed by team members allow them to work in a coordinated and mutually supportive fashion towards their common purpose (Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2000). Based on this description, not every group meets the criteria of becoming a team. There is a notable distinction between the two. Whereas every team is a group, not every group is a team.
Several salient features characterize teams. Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers (2000) note that some of the features that define teams are as follows. They are constituted by at least two people, every member of a team usually has a specific role to discharge towards the common goal, each team member usually has specialized knowledge and skills, the members depend on one another to accomplish the overall goal, and they often form part of a larger system such as an organization. Based on these defining features, each team member is important and needs to be highly esteemed since the absence of any of them has the potential to cripple the team. Incidentally, the pillars of successful teams include mutual respect, trust, team spirit, helpfulness, and friendliness among the members (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009).
Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers (2000) note that teams can be classified into several categories. These include project and developmental teams, parallel teams, independent and interdependent teams, and virtual teams. This classification is dictated by a team’s purpose and composition. For example, project and developmental teams are constituted and used for a specific period after which they become irrelevant. Virtual teams on the other hand are teams that are constituted with the aid of electronic technology. In other words, although teams may be constituted to accomplish similar tasks, their composition and mode of operation may place them in different categories.
Notwithstanding a team’s composition and purpose, there are crosscutting principles that guide the operations of each of them. These include cohesiveness, norms, and team energy (Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2000). Just like individuals, teams also have underlying beliefs and values that define them. As such, they have unique identities that result from the collective style of the individuals who form them. Further, teams have strengths, weaknesses, ambition, as well as ego.
As hinted earlier, the effectiveness of teams is gauged by their ability to accomplish their goals. This evaluation is a critical measure for any team since it shows how focused and determined a team is. Its critical nature stems from the fact that teams are often constituted to handle complex tasks that involve many interdependent subtasks (Mesmer-Magnus & DeChurch, 2009). Therefore, the focus and determination of a team towards achieving its uniting purpose is the ultimate yardstick for measuring its efficacy. Most importantly, the idea of evaluating the efficacy of a team brings forth the concept of teamwork. In simple terms, teamwork denotes the ability of a team to function as a single cohesive unit.
Team Behavior
While the behavior of teams may appear normal to a superficial observer, analysts have dedicated a substantial amount of resources to study it. An issue of immediate concern to these people is to understand the dynamics of team behavior and the factors that influence them (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009). Apparently, the behavior of individuals seems to change significantly when they come together to form teams. As noted earlier, teams are a special type of groups. As such, group behavior and team behavior go hand in hand. Unfortunately, much of the focus on group behavior has been directed towards studying its negative aspects (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009).
Consequently, literature on positive group behavior is scanty. The notion that groups influence the behavior of individuals in a negative sense seems to have been successfully propagated. Nonetheless, there are outstanding aspects of team behavior that characterize most teams and are considerably positive since they seem to bring forth desired outcomes. These include coordination, cooperation, and information sharing (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009). Alongside these three elements of team behavior, phenomena such as conflicts and ‘group think’ also feature prominently within teams quite often (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009). An analysis of these elements and their influencing factors follows below.
Coordination
Coordination is a crucial aspect of teamwork. According to King & Sueur (2011), the moment the discretion to make decisions moves from an individual to a group, coordination becomes a key to the success of the group. Mostly, making collective decisions is challenging because individuals usually have preferences for different courses of action (King & Sueur, 2011). However, the undesired outcomes that result from making the wrong collective choices bring groups to a point where they strive to make the right choices every time they are faced with a choice to make. It was pointed out that the effectiveness of a team is evaluated by the team’s ability to function as a single unit and achieve its overall goal. With this need in mind, team members always strive to suppress their individual preferences especially in cases where those preferences tend to be in conflict with the overall goal of the group.
Based on this established trend, it is arguable that once an individual becomes part of a group, the desire to act in accordance with the groups norms takes preeminence (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009). In the case of informal groups that do not have any meaningful sense of purpose, the group members’ desire to observe group norms often stems from the need for approval from other group members and leaders (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009). However, the case is different with teams. A team always has a meaningful unifying purpose, which is eventually used to evaluate the effectiveness its mode of operation. As such, a team member’s desire to observe team norms overrides their individual preferences not because they seek the approval of anyone, but because they understand that as part of the team, they have to play their role to ensure team success.
The tendency to coordinate that is observed among team members is, therefore, a prerequisite for the success of the team. Therefore, there is a strong underlying factor that calls for the coordination that is observed among team members. Even if the team members do not enjoy cordial interpersonal relationships, when grouped together as one team, they have to lay their differences aside and focus on team success first.
Cooperation
Like coordination, cooperation is a key ingredient in the success of teams. Although some organizations compensate individual initiative with handsome rewards, studies show that cooperation often has better rewards for organizations (Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers, 2000). Cooperation requires that workers in an organization or players in a football team work together towards the common goal. In a team setting, cooperation cannot be isolated because without it, there ceases to be a team (Chieh-Wen, Yi-Fang & Ming-Chia, 2010).
The defining characteristics of a team pitch it as an entity that has uniform sense of purpose and includes members with complementary skills. Therefore, the aim of a team is to achieve a common goal, which can only be accomplished if all members contribute. Each member’s contribution moves a team’s activity a step closer to the overall goal. In most cases, the information that is required to facilitate a subsequent step comes from the preceding step (Mesmer-Magnus & DeChurch, 2009). With all these factors to consider, it becomes inevitable that members of a team have to cooperate with each other from the start of a task to its completion. Even if a member has completed their part, they have to remain with the team until a task is complete since their expertise and knowledge may be required again at any stage of the task.
Therefore, cooperation as an aspect of team operation is inevitable just like coordination. Team members are always aware of this state of affairs. As such, they always exhibit cooperation whenever they are called upon to be part of a team. In other words, it is a requirement that every team member cooperates with others to achieve the team’s overall goal.
Information sharing
Information sharing is another conspicuous behavior that is observable among team members. Today, teams and groups are prevalent in almost all activities that need critical decision-making. From juries to homicide investigation teams, the utilization of group decisions is evident. According to Mesmer-Magnus & DeChurch (2009), the primary reason behind this trend is that a team or group enjoys a large pool of information on which it can base its decisions. The decisions are, therefore, likely to be of better merit than if they were made by a single individuals.
Group members share information because it enhances their productivity and efficiency (Mesmer-Magnus & DeChurch, 2009). By its definition, a team is constituted by a number of people with different sets of skills. They are, therefore, in a position to brainstorm on alternative ways of dealing with a particular issue and select the best way forward. In this respect, information sharing forms the basis of a team’s activities. Team members do not share information to please their peers. Rather, they do so because it is a requirement within the framework of effective team operation. Like coordination and cooperation, team members do not have any other option but to share information with their peers to ensure the success of their teams.
Conflicts
Disagreements among team members form an important negative aspect of team behavior. Intra-group conflicts are a common phenomenon in all forms of groups constituted by human beings (Long, Zhong-Ming & Wei, 2011). The reason behind these conflicts has been widely researched. The results vary in some cases, but the bottom line is that group members usually come from different backgrounds, which affect their perception of the issues around them (Long, Zhong-Ming & Wei, 2011).
Therefore, the prevalence of conflicts in groups is a normal phenomenon that has a bearing on the group’s performance. Paris, Salas & Cannon-Bowers (2000) note that teams undergo various phases of development from the time they are formed to the time they are disbanded. As a team moves through its developmental phases, conflicts are bound to manifest especially during the initial stages of its operation. This trend is attributable to the idea that before team members get to understand each other well, conflicts characterize their interaction. It is, however, important that conflicts be handled prudently to allow the team to proceed with its activities.
Group think
In some cases, teams lose focus and develop conceit. As a result, they become victims of negative group influence, which is referred to as ‘group think’ (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009). This phenomenon can be occasioned by different factors. Key among them is initial success, which can cause team members to develop a false sense of satisfaction. The results of group think are unending conflicts that can easily derail a team and ‘social loafing,’ which means that some members of the team start opting out of some tasks (Goldstone & Gureckis, 2009). They end up leaving the activities of the team to a few members and considering that each member of a team is supposed perform a specific task that requires their expert knowledge, the overall performance of the team suffers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, team or group behavior is real and more attention needs to be directed towards understanding it. Individuals significantly change their behavior when they join teams or groups. Although much attention has been on the negative aspects of team behavior, it also has some positive aspects that can facilitate the achievement of better results. To realize these positive elements of team behavior, team members need to develop trust and mutual respect in their interpersonal relationships as well as commitment towards the common purpose of the team. When all these aspects are coupled with the spirit of camaraderie and sense of belonging that characterizes teams, no challenge can be insurmountable them.
References
Chieh-Wen, S., Yi-Fang, T., & Ming-Chia, C. (2010). Relationships among teamwork behavior, trust, perceived team support, and team commitment. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 38(10), 1297-1306. Web.
Goldstone, R. L., & Gureckis, T. M. (2009). Collective Behavior. Topics in Cognitive Science, 1(3), 412-438. Web.
King, A., & Sueur, C. (2011). Where next? Group coordination and collective decision making by primates. International Journal of Primatology, 32(6), 1245-1267. Web.
Long, C., Zhong-Ming, W., & Wei, Z. (2011). The effects of conflict on team decision-making. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 39(2), 189-198. Web.
Mesmer-Magnus, J., & DeChurch, L. (2009). Information sharing and team performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(2), 535. Web.
Paris, C., Salas, E., & Cannon-Bowers, J. (2000). Teamwork in multi-person systems: A review and analysis. Ergonomics, 43(8), 1052-1075. Web.
In interprofessional (IP) teams, primary care physicians usually work as team leaders who develop long-term and comprehensive plan for patients depending on their state and conditions. In order to perform as a leader in the IP team for developing the treatment plan for the child with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, it is necessary to practice as a family physician or pediatrician. According to standards, a primary care physician is responsible for providing primary care, coordinating the work of the IP team, monitoring the changes in the patient’s state, and making decisions regarding changes in the treatment strategy (AAFP, 2015).
The Role-Specific Goals
By the end of the six-month period, the physical state of Carla will improve as cases of pneumonia will decrease by about 25%, as a result of the physical therapy, medication therapy, and changes in the diet.
By the end of the six-month period, Carla will demonstrate the increased levels of physical, cognitive, and social activity in about 30%, as a result of the complex physical therapy, development of communication skills, and development of social skills.
Setting Patient Care Goals
The role of a primary care physician in the IP team means setting general goals for improving the patient’s health while covering all the individual needs in order to achieve the observable and measurable positive changes in the patient’s state. In the patient with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, much attention should be paid to the physical therapy to increase mobility and overcome such effects as pneumonia. In the case of Carla, it is also necessary to increase her social interactions and improve communication skills.
Involvement of the Patient and Family in the Care
The schedule of physical therapy procedures and work with Occupational Therapist and Speech/Language Pathologist should be improved for Carla in order to involve her mother and brother in cooperation with the specialists to monitor the progress and do exercises at home.
The IP team Planning and Communication
In order to plan the care for Carla, it was important to discuss the most effective physical therapy plans with Physical Therapist to be able to improve the work of all groups of muscles (including those ones participating in swallowing) to improve mobility, avoid contractures, and prevent pneumonia. The other step is the discussion of procedures with Occupational Therapist and Speech/Language Pathologist to improve the girl’s progress in daily activities, communication, and social interaction (Krigger, 2006). All the ideas of specialists were assessed in order to develop the most effective plan for Carla to achieve the set goals.
Legal or Ethical Issues
While planning the care, the focus should be on the patient’s needs, the delivery of the care should be professional, individual differences of the family and patient should be taken into account, and the principles of cooperation to avoid ethical issues should be addressed. Ethical dilemmas should be managed at the stage of planning the care.
The Work with the Other “Team Members”
The main challenges were associated with determining the priorities for the care that influence the proposed schedules as well as the achievement of set goals and expected outcomes. It was important to offer the most efficient plan to address all the determined goals as a result of prolonged discussions.
The Focus on the Plan
The meeting supported the fact that the plan and proposed goals were efficient because they were oriented to improve Carla’s health and state regarding all the parameters affecting the patient’s state as a result of the condition.
Relevant Lessons
The IP teamwork is important to develop the most effective plan of treatment and care for patients who need complex therapy in order to improve their state. The cooperation with different specialists guarantees the appropriate distribution of responsibilities and the focus on all areas determined in the plan.
References
AAFP: American Academy of Family Physicians. (2015). Web.
Krigger, K. (2006). Cerebral palsy: An overview. Web.
The article written by Andrea Walker, Randall Olson, and Suzanne Tytler (2013) is aimed at examining the collaboration between registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) in Providence Health Care.
This medical institution helps patients who have the following health problems: 1) AIDS; 2) cardiopulmonary risks; 3) mental health problems; and 4) specialized needs related to aging (Walker et al., 2013, p. 25). This organization had to struggle with the shortage of medical professionals. Therefore, this institution had to implement a set of policies that could address this problem. First of all, one should speak about the role of “most responsible nurses” who had to care about a set of patients (Walker et al., 2013, p. p. 25).
These healthcare professionals had to carry out assessment and implement interventions. However, these individual could also consult other members of the healthcare team if it was necessary. Furthermore, the new approach implied that nurses had to work together if they needed to support a patient with complex needs. LPNs and RNs were asked to align their skills since in this way, they could effectively share workload and support patients.
Additionally, it is possible to speak about the existence of unit advisory groups which included both RNs and LPNs. The authors demonstrate that the partnership of nurses is critical for improving the quality of patient care. Their collaboration enables them to identify various needs of people who required medical assistance.
This article indicates that a team of healthcare professionals, who align their skills, can better share workload. Moreover, this goal cannot be affectively achieved by separate nurses. To a great extent, teamwork is important for implementing a holistic approach to medicine. Nurses should know how various biological, social, and psychological factors affect the experiences of patient.
By working together, nurses can identify these factors and mitigate their influence. This argument is relevant to such organizations as Providence Health Care in which patients can be affected by various health problems. Moreover, the findings of researchers suggest that collaborative approach can be of great use to organizations that struggle with staff shortages.
This article can be used to identify a set of behaviors that can promote collaboration among nurses. For instance, one can speak about the need to find a balance between unity and autonomy (Gardner, 2005). For instance, the authors show that unit advisory groups were relatively independent while designing and implementing patient care. However, at the same time, they could consult other healthcare professionals, especially their supervisors. Furthermore, researchers emphasize the need to conduct interdisciplinary forums (Gardner, 2005).
In turn, Andrea Walker et al. (2013) discuss the importance of aligning the skills of LPNs and RNs. Furthermore, they lay stress on the importance of regular discussions during which they can identify the most effective methods of patient care. Furthermore, scholars recognize the importance of conflict resolution techniques which are critical for cooperation (Gardner, 2005).
In their turn, Andrea Walker et al. (2005) speak about the so-called team sustainment sessions during which nurses can identify a shared vision and resolve their conflicts. Overall, this article can be useful for improving workplace interactions among nurses. However, the arguments of researchers cannot be generalized because their study was conducted only in one medical organization. This is the main limitation that should be considered by healthcare administrators who may review this article.
Reference List
Gardner, D. (2005). Ten Lessons in Collaboration. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 10(1), 1-10.
Walker, A., Olson, R., & Tytler, S. (2013). Collaborative Nursing Practice: RNs and LPNs Working Together. Canadian Nurse, 109(6), 24-28.
Nurses play a significant role in present-day societies. The objective that informs their engagement in various team-building activities stems from the need to improve the quality of relationships that exist between them and host communities. Some roles that nurses undertake during team-building events include health screening, education on the essence of hygiene, and therapy. The health practitioners also participate in activities that empower the less privileged in the neighborhood. Through such initiatives, people in the host regions develop a positive relationship with the facility and appreciate its contribution to their welfare. Besides the development of strong ties with the community, nurses also use team building as an orientation tool for new nurses. Out of such activities, new nurses acquire insights on how teamwork enhances service delivery. Consequently, during the execution of team-building ventures, leadership skills emerge through role-assignment or assumption. When team members take up leadership positions, they handle a diverse set of nurses who have unique behavioral traits. Significantly, the essence of smart leadership skills among teams of nurses involved in community services informs the examination of role assignment in nursing, merits of leadership, goal setting, and project management.
Role Assignment in Nursing
During the process of community service, nurses need to delegate responsibilities to their colleagues so that they can increase the efficiency of service delivery. Role assignment usually takes effect after an intensive examination of the behaviors exhibited by teams. Imperatively, whereas some nurses need to take up leadership tasks, others are effective when they work under supervisors who guide them systematically. Ellis (2018) explains that while some individuals in the group take up roles after entrustment, others identify an opportunity and assume responsibility. It is out of team-building ventures that successful administrators emerge and demonstrate their skills. Services such as education of host societies on the relevance of health lifestyles compel some individuals in the team to exhibit their leadership capabilities and guide their colleagues towards the successful execution of projects. Notably, although some individuals who assume administrative roles in a group during community services may be well informed, others may not have the requisite skills. As such, it is critical for supervisors to monitor how these nurses undertake their duties after role delegation.
Systematic follow-up on role execution by appointed or emergent nurse leaders is vital because new practitioners use the process to understand the essence of service delivery. Additionally, new nurses use initiatives to assess how they can advance their expertise. Erickson et al. (2016) elucidate that intensive examination of nurse behavior before delegation or assumption of duties helps in increases the seamlessness of project delivery. At times, due to the absence of due diligence from the executive, community services fail to achieve the expected outcomes. Failure to meet the desired objectives emanates from the entrustment of unqualified nurses to headship positions. Activities such as empowerment of the less privileged, health checks, and other programs that focus on helping communities need to be productive so that the hosts and the nurses establish a healthy relationship. Remarkably, the smart association between the nurses and societies improve the reputation held y the facility and the instances when individuals in the region utilize its services. Concisely, wise allocation of roles or supervision after role assumption is vital in the realization of team building objectives.
Merits of Leadership
In several cases, leadership can be an outcome of entrustment by executives or by team members. Subsequently, nurses can assume administrative positions when individuals in the group feel that the supervisor is incompetent or is missing (Cheng, Bartram, Karimi, & Leggat, 2016). The reason behind the need to make a wise choice in leadership emanates from the associated merits. Efficiency, the achievement of the desired objectives, and effective management of people in the team are some of the benefits linked to smart administration. When nurses engage their colleagues who have the requisite skills in community service and team building, they increase the scale of knowledge held by the new professionals in the team. Besides, they also help in creating a strong bond between them and the community. In effect, smart administration is critical in elevating the quality of services that the hosts receive from the nurses as they undertake their activities. By having qualified nursing practitioners guiding the team, people in the respective community can air their issues and receive timely and appropriate feedback from the nurses.
Consequently, nurse leaders need skills to handle the diversity exhibited in the group. The different behaviors exhibited by nurses during project delivery require patience, problem-solving, and conflict management skills from the respective administrators. While some people in the group are supportive, others are difficult to manage. Plonien (2016) asserts that ideological differences are the causes of disruption in the team. Therefore, leaders should study the discrepancies demonstrated by group members and handle these disruptors carefully. Time management and equal participation from all individuals in the team minimizes instances of disruption. While smart management of time reduces challenges advanced by complicated members, it also enables those who support the ideas presented by the leader to explain their views. As such, smart leadership is vital in ensuring that nurses in community service acquire new skills and deliver medical attention as required by the hosts.
Project Management
In leadership, nurses must consider various components that include goal setting, objectives, project management, and avoidance of deviation. Such considerations are critical in team building because it improves the quality of care received by the people residing in the region where nurses are executing their community services. Additionally, these components help nurses to deliver the requirements on time and as expected by the executive. With smart leaders, the entire process of team building and community service becomes rewarding for the new nurses and the hosts. Ellis (2018) explains that goal setting follows a realistic format when competent individuals lead a set of nurses in service delivery. In some scenarios, administrators lay down non-viable deliverables, a feature that complicates the exercise and renders it impractical.
Smart supervisors understand that before commencing a project, the people in the group should receive education on the required goals, objectives, timeframe, and scope. The process of informing the members of the team must be comprehensive so that all the individuals understand these elements effectively. Therefore, throughout service delivery to the community, these nurses strive to meet the dateline and deliver what is right to the consumers. When smart leaders guide the nurses during their team-building exercise, effects related to scope creep diminish. Koskiniemi, Vakkala, and Pietiläinen (2019) claim that challenges linked to scope creeps include wastage of time, increased financial losses in medical facilities, and dissatisfaction from the target clients. As such, leadership is vital in facilitating the seamless and successful execution of community services for new nurses and hosts.
Conclusion
Programs such as team building and community service are significant in developing the skill set of new and existing nurses. The purpose of such initiatives is to empower nurses with competencies that are essential in addressing the concerns raised by the hosts. Moreover, the program helps these practitioners to interact and develop a positive relationship with the members of the community. Through effective leadership, such goals become practical, and the quality of medical attention delivered by the nurses augments.
References
Cheng, C., Bartram, T., Karimi, L., & Leggat, S. (2016). Transformational leadership and social identity as predictors of team climate, perceived quality of care, burnout, and turnover intention among nurses. Personnel Review, 45(6), 1200-1216.
Ellis, P. (2018). Leadership, management, and team working in nursing. London, UK: Learning Matters.
Erickson, H., Erickson, M., Southard, M., Brekke, M., Sandor, M., & Natschke, M. (2016). A proactive innovation for health care transformation: health and wellness nurse coaching. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 34(1), 44-55.
Koskiniemi, A., Vakkala, H., & Pietiläinen, V. (2019). Leader identity development in healthcare: An existential-phenomenological study. Leadership in Health Services, 32(1), 83-97.
Plonien, C. (2016). Bullying in the workplace: A leadership perspective. AORN journal, 103(1), 107-110.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities (KSAs), and Behaviors
Do They Exist in the Workplace Team?
“Monitoring each other’s performance” (Baker, Day, & Salas, 2006, p. 1577)
Yes
Knowledge of personal responsibilities
Yes
Knowledge of others’ responsibilities
Yes
Positive opinion on teamwork
Yes
Sharing a common goal
Yes
The anticipation of others’ needs
No
Flexibility and adaptability
No
A shared understanding of the procedures
Yes
Active and regular communication
No
Exertion of leadership
Yes
Reevaluation of actions
Yes
Feedback exchange
No
Shared decision-making
Yes
Encouragement of positive group climate
Yes
Mutual support
Yes
Mutual trust
Yes
Team Rating
On a scale from one to five, I would rate my workplace team as a four because it is effective most of the time. According to the checklist, my team has most of the described KSAs and behaviors needed for successful teamwork. The presented KSAs can be grouped into larger categories according to a particular type of behavior. For instance, the exertion of leadership in our team allows it to function smoothly in stressful situations and not lose focus on important tasks and duties (Baker et al., 2006). The development of a stable leadership structure in the team is important because it can significantly lower the number of possible miscommunications and misunderstandings of the final goal (MacPhee, Chang, Lee, & Spiri, 2013). Moreover, leaders can maintain a positive climate in the group and help its members stay on one shared path. A good nursing leader, for example, can encourage other nurses to treat their patients with more attention and remind them of the values of patient-centered care.
Nursing leaders also facilitate successful and engaged collaboration (RNAO, 2016). My team members succeed in monitoring and evaluating the performance of other workers, as they are well acquainted with each other’s abilities and duties. The team shares many activities and procedures. Thus, each member has to know the responsibilities of others. Here, mutual trust can also be developed as a result of the awareness of each others’ roles. Furthermore, team members with a clear shared understanding of the group’s tasks can make decisions easier than individuals without an established trusting relationship.
While my workplace team is very effective in most situations, its performance can still be improved. For example, in my opinion, the members of the group do not communicate with each other often enough, which can lead to mistakes and conflicts. Proper and regular communication is a necessary part of teamwork as it facilitates discussion and allows teammates to develop a shared view of common problems (RNAO, 2016). Thus, a training program that encourages communication can be used by the team to improve this sphere of collaboration (Thomas, 2011). While the members of my team work together well enough to avoid most mistakes, some small miscommunications may hinder the overall performance.
I also rated my team as lacking adaptability in its actions and behaviors. Some of the team’s members are older than others, which creates a barrier between the individuals. Furthermore, some of the members do not perceive receiving feedback about their work as an attempt to improve the performance of the group. It also decreases the team’s efficiency and leads to conflicts. Therefore, the adaptability of the group should be worked on as well. It is possible that feedback exchange can also be improved by encouraging communication as team members may understand each other’s views and opinions better by discussing them more often. All in all, the underdevelopment of these KSAs does not worsen the effectiveness of my team significantly, although it can be improved.
References
Baker, D. P., Day, R., & Salas, E. (2006). Teamwork as an essential component of high‐reliability organizations. Health Services Research, 41(4 Pt 2), 1576-1598.
MacPhee, M., Chang, L., Lee, D., & Spiri, W. (2013). Global health care leadership development: Trends to consider. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 5, 21-29.
RNAO. (2016). Intra-professional collaborative practice among nurses (2nd ed.). Toronto, Canada: RNAO.
Thomas, E. (2011). Improving teamwork in healthcare: Current approaches and the path forward. British Medical Journal (BMJ) Quality and Safety Journal, 20(8), 647-650.
One of the most important goals of healthcare teams is to ensure patient safety. Still, individual team members’ characteristics can lead to medication errors. Identifying, reporting, and managing these errors promptly is essential to prevent adverse patient outcomes. In the present case, the nurse administered ibuprofen and aspirin to a patient on warfarin. Drug interactions resulting from this combination could cause the patient to bleed more easily, and thus the error compromised patient safety. It is essential to act promptly to protect the patient and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Main body
Firstly, it is essential to note that standards of professional behavior for nurses necessitate reporting medication errors, regardless of whether or not they threaten the patient. In the present case, the patient is unlikely to suffer significant health consequences as long as they are not injured or bleeding. Reporting an error would help to avoid making the situation worse by administering more blood thinners (clexan). Therefore, the first thing that I would do in this situation is to talk to the patient’s physician to inform them about the mistake and clarify what modifications should be made to the treatment, if any. I would also notify the nurse manager or leader present on the shift so that the patient could receive the necessary attention and consideration during any manipulations. In addition, I would practice disclosure and transparency by informing the patient about the error and the need to make short-term modifications to her pre-up treatment. I would take care to explain to the patient that, at present, her life is not in danger, and it is likely that the error will not have any negative consequence on her health. In this way, I would be able to engage the critical team members involved in the care process, including the patient, and establish excellent communication on the problem.
Throughout my encounters with other team members, I would avoid blaming the other nurse for the error because this could lead to conflicts within the health care team and impair future teamwork. For example, if the patient believes that the other nurse lacks qualifications or experience, she might not trust her in the future, which could affect the therapeutic relationship between the two. Similarly, if the nurse manager or the physician blame the nurse for the error, it could affect trust within the team and create obstacles to teamwork in the future. Hence, it is crucial to highlight that mistakes can occur due to a variety of factors and that they do not always depend on the nurse’s level of knowledge or professionalism.
Once patient safety is ensured, and communication is established, I would also make plans to approach the other nurse during her next shift, both to inform her about the error and to prevent future mistakes. In talking to the nurse, I would use effective feedback provision techniques, such as sharing resources that could be used to clarify information when doubt, asking about why she thinks the error occurred, and suggest practical strategies to ensure patient safety in the future. Providing feedback in this way would show my support and willingness to help while also drawing the nurse’s attention to the need for improvement, thus having a positive effect on teamwork and patient safety in the unit.
There are various factors that influence teamwork by facilitating or impairing it. Understanding how these factors work together in practice can help to improve teamwork both in the questions of patient safety and generally throughout the unit. First of all, communication styles play a crucial role in teamwork because collaboration between team members is not possible unless they all share information in a way that each can understand. Research shows that excellent, transparent communication between team members supports teamwork, whereas poor or inadequate communication reduces outcomes (Gluyas, 2015; Reising et al., 2017). In the present case, communication was adequate since the nurse recorded the medications given to the patient in her chart. This helped the morning nurse to identify the error and take steps to reduce its potential effects on patient outcomes, thus supporting patient safety. However, the lack of personal communication and the focus on written communication could be considered a barrier in this situation, since the night nurse could have told her colleague about the medication face-to-face, and action would have been taken more promptly.
Leadership style also has an influence on teamwork in healthcare settings since it can influence organizational practices and the level of oversight. According to Dyess, Sherman, Pratt, and Chiang-Hanisko (2016), nurse leaders can “contribute to improving work environments, unite teams, and implement changes needed to advance healthcare” (para. 3). Leadership can thus affect collaboration and teamwork by shaping the values and actions of team members, as well as the working environment, policies, and standards (Polis, Higgs, Manning, Netto, & Fernandez, 2017; Regan, Laschinger, & Wong, 2016). In the present scenario, there was no evidence of leadership during the night shift, which could have affected the outcomes of the medication error. For instance, if the night nurse had more support from leaders during the night, she could have inquired about the interactions between warfarin, NSAIDs, and aspirin and verify the prescription.
Lastly, team cohesion also appears to have been an essential factor in the case. Team cohesion reflects “the dynamic process of team members working closely together to achieve a team goal” (Kao, 2019, p. 2350). Consequently, team cohesion has a significant effect on communication and collaboration within the team, leads to better relationships between members, and helps teams to achieve excellent results (Bell, Brown, Colaneri, & Outland, 2018; Kao, 2019). In the present case, there was little evidence of team cohesion due to limited interpersonal communication. Based on the little information available, it can be suggested that team cohesion is reduced, which is a barrier to effective teamwork. Enhancing team cohesion would require nurses to communicate more with one another about shared goals, performance, and activities.
Conclusion
Each of the three factors identified here would also affect how the problem is resolved and whether threats to patient safety will persist. Differences in communication styles between team members could impede the process of solving the problem by delaying information sharing. Ineffective leadership that does not provide sufficient support to workers would also threaten the outcomes of the case by ignoring the issue or leaving nurses to solve it on their own. In the same way, the lack of team cohesion would affect the risk of repeated errors in the future. If team members do not work toward the shared goal of increasing patient safety, they will likely fail to achieve long-term results. Therefore, addressing gaps in each area would contribute to a successful resolution and help to improve patient safety in the future. While identifying these gaps and making plans to remedy them is the responsibility of leaders, all team members should participate in improvement efforts to yield the best results.
References
Bell, S. T., Brown, S. G., Colaneri, A., & Outland, N. (2018). Team composition and the ABCs of teamwork. American Psychologist, 73(4), 349-362. doi: 10.1037/amp0000305.
Dyess, S. M., Sherman, R. O., Pratt, B. A., & Chiang-Hanisko, L. (2016). Growing nurse leaders: Their perspectives on nursing leadership and today’s practice environment. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 21(1). doi: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol21No01PPT04.
Gluyas, H. (2015). Effective communication and teamwork promotes patient safety. Nursing Standard (2014+), 29(49), 50-57. doi: 10.7748/ns.29.49.50.e10042.
Kao, C. C. (2019). Development of team cohesion and sustained collaboration skills with the sport education model. Sustainability, 11(8), 2348-2362. doi: 10.3390/su11082348.
Polis, S., Higgs, M., Manning, V., Netto, G., & Fernandez, R. (2017). Factors contributing to nursing team work in an acute care tertiary hospital. Collegian, 24(1), 19-25. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2015.09.002.
Regan, S., Laschinger, H. K., & Wong, C. A. (2016). The influence of empowerment, authentic leadership, and professional practice environments on nurses’ perceived interprofessional collaboration. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(1), E54-E61. doi: 10.1111/jonm.12288.
Reising, D. L., Carr, D. E., Gindling, S., Barnes, R., Garletts, D., & Ozdogan, Z. (2017). Team communication influence on procedure performance: Findings from interprofessional simulations with nursing and medical students. Nursing Education Perspectives, 38(5), 275-276. doi: 10.1097/01.NEP.0000000000000168.
As supervisor of this team I think it important that we take a multi-method measurement approach. As such we will combine qualitative and quantitative designs and tests to triangulate the perceptions and outcomes of my team. The literature shows that self-reflection and peer ratings are fantastic ways for small groups to gauge their level of functioning, cooperation and how to overcome interpersonal conflicts that may affect the outcome of group goals (Prebble & Frederick, 2007). Understanding of research design and measurement, particularly with regards to team functioning, is critical in health management science. Multi-disciplinary teams are required to service the individual needs and contextual parameters for a client/patient’s care. Thus, knowledge of how a group functions to identify best practices and weak processes is of tremendous benefit to health management workers, patients/clients and the wider community.
In-depth interviews have been used in the past, such as in the research of Crother-Lurin (2006). She found that the team was able to identify challenges in building itself and in keeping an effective attitude toward working together. Her results were used to inform Canadian healthcare in terms of its organizational functions that affect teamwork and the implications of policies that exist at this time as well as their regulation and legislation pertaining to teams (Crother-Lurin, 2006).
However, for this project it is felt that in-depth interviews would be time consuming, especially in terms of transcribing the recorded interviews and undertaking a thematic analysis. There is also a large margin for researcher bias in the way in which answers are interpreted. Thus, for this study the team I am a part of will undertake a single focus group with all of us at the beginning and end of our projects to give a pre post analysis of overall group cohesion, purpose and implementation of findings.
From our first meeting each of us will keep a personal journal for self reflection of decisions and actions, grounding these in theories and models to guide better practices. Journal posts will be welcomed into discussions during activities to achieve goals, journaling about these discussions will be expected so that each member is continuously analyzing their own behaviors and choices and the consequences of these (Gray, 2005). And in doing so is making continual reference to up-to-date peer reviewed literature to ground conclusions and insights.
Finally, inter-group review of performance will take place at the completion of each mini-goal. Likert scales and yes/no answers will provide as near to accurate as possible with instruments at disposal to measure perceptions, attitudes and values of team members with regards to their needs and expectations of other team members. This method is especially important to ensure that each team member defines concepts and boundaries in a similar way to allow for cohesive decision-making and laser focus on a goal (Free Management Library, 2006). The combination of methods to measure team performance against expected outcomes allows for a richer picture of leadership strengths within the team and individual/synthesized skills, knowledge and competencies.
It is felt that a mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis will help meet the aims of the 2005 Health Council of Canada goals; to seek to enhance teamwork throughout healthcare settings; to improve inter-professional collaboration in healthcare; to review current policies and systems that may be acting as barriers to the transformation of healthcare into one that is team-based and client-focused (Moore, 2005). Ultimately, continuous research into personal practices of a team member and integrated data of inter-group functioning and comparison of outcomes to expectations, can inform policy makers as to best practices in the healthcare system to support effective teamwork and improvement of patient/client care and everyone’s safety.
References
Crother-Laurin, C. (2006). Effective teams: A symptom of healthy leadership. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 29(3), 4.
Free Management Library (2006). Team Building. Web.
Gray, P. (2005). It is not just money that motivates staff. GP, 35.
Moore, L.G. (2006). Creating a high-performing clinical team. Family Practice Management, 13(3), 38.
Prebble, D., & Frederick, H. (2007). 10 Ways to distinguish between a team and a group. Web.