A recent project I participated in involved collaboration and teamwork from all healthcare practitioners who had been actively engaged in-home visits, particularly to patients with severe chronic diseases. I was part of an interdisciplinary team tasked with investigating reasons for increased patient readmissions. The team included physicians, clinical assistants, the nurse manager, nurses, and therapists with significant frontline roles at the bedside and organizational levels. The director of clinical services expected the team to share perspectives and experiences associated with readmissions. A key success factor was the competency demonstrated by the nurse manager in creating an open environment. In this case, it was easier for members to share insights and suggestions on barriers and enablers of reduced readmissions.
The nursing manager came up with a well-formulated strategy used by the health care providers in the field. The greatest test for communication and collaboration focused on the need for different healthcare professionals with diverse skills and experiences to share views on strategies for preventing readmissions. The best strategy adopted by the team involved effective time management and work ethics. The aspects ensured that the team focused more on activities related to the project deliverables.
One takeaway from initiating effective collaboration was the need for an open environment that allows everyone to share suggestions on the best practices for optimizing outcomes (Udod & Racine, 2017). A second takeaway entails excellent communication to motivate everyone to pursue mutual interests. In this case, the team members willingly exchange ideas that have a significant impact on identifying risks associated with readmissions and interventions appropriate for enhancing the quality and safety of patient care. The collaboration was successful because of visible individual and collective commitment to familiarizing with issues such as errors exposing patients to readmissions.
Effective delivery calls for proper coordination among the selected team members to expedite the implementation of the desired plans. Each team member has clear roles and responsibilities to ensure equal distribution of resources and accountability (Udod & Racine, 2017). The team leader must ensure that they are well conversant with the skills of each member to assign each appropriate member tasks based on their capabilities. In the project, the leader gave me the duty of investigating effectiveness of practices such as bandaging and various medical tools during operations. The decision meant that I had to produce accurate and complete evidence on some of the most sensitive procedures that could expose patients to readmissions.
There were sessions where team members took time to deliberate about complex issues, and the brainstorming sessions were done online, while at other times, it was conducted in person. The use of online sessions was quite effective because it helped navigate through various issues brought about by the need to enhance flexibility in responding to ideas raised throughout the project. The use of online channels such as smartphone chats reinforced the importance of effective communication in an interdisciplinary setting. The senior members guided junior staff members like myself on the best strategies for synthesizing evidence on readmissions and other safety concerns within the clinical environment.
One problem experienced during the project was the busy nature of some members. The members worked in demanding units that limited them from being active throughout the project. The lack of external views on the issue also limited the team from developing a comprehensive view of causes and implications of readmissions on patients and the organization. In improving future projects, the team should consider seeking input from external parties experienced in addressing safety and quality issues that expose patients to readmissions. The goal is to make everyone aware of the different scenarios involving readmissions and evidence-based interventions for maintaining a safe clinical environment.