Health Care Team

Health Care Teams Every employee at a health care facility is a member of a health care team. All members of the team must work as one unit to provide the best possible health care for patients. Health Care Teams Every employee at a health care facility is a member of a health care team. Some members of the team, such as nurses and therapists, work directly with patients. Other members, like billing officers and housekeepers, have very little contact with patients. But all members of the team must work as a cohesive unit to provide the best possible health care for patients.

Characteristics of Effective Teams A clear focus Patient’s welfare Focus on achieving results Completing tasks A plan for reaching goals Policies/procedures Problem solving strategies Commitment to goal Learning skills to complete task Competent members Continuing education Effective Teams Health care teams are organized to care for specific needs of patients. For example, a hospital may have a team of surgeons, a team of pediatric nurses, or a team of administrative officers. In order to provide patients with quality care, each team must function properly. The following list contains characteristics of effective health care teams: Mutual Respect: Team members must have respect for each other. Respect must be given to the various opinions, contributions, and expertise of all team members. Hurtful criticism is never appropriate. Respect also includes being considerate of differences in ethnicity, culture, age, gender, lifestyle, or economic status. Healthy Interpersonal Relationships: Team members must make every effort to get along and to create healthy relationships. This includes being cooperative, supportive, honest, and responsible. Open Communication: It is important that team members feel free to express their opinions. This involves using suitable verbal and nonverbal communication. Likewise, team members must be attentive listeners when another member is speaking. Frequent Conferences: Conferences, or meetings, are used to keep all team members aware of a patient’s status. Conferences are also used to outline the duties of each team member and to establish goals. Effective teams must hold frequent conferences and encourage open discussion. Team Identity: Every team member must perform tasks with a sense of team identity. Team identity is recognizing oneself as part of a whole and working toward a common purpose. This sense of identity allows the team to collaborate to solve problems and respond well to emergency conditions. Positive Interactions: Health care workers must remain positive in their interactions with teammates. This requires hard work and dedication because it is not always easy to be encouraging and optimistic. Even though these traits may not come naturally, team members must commit themselves to showing patience, open-mindedness, and professionalism in all interactions.

Characteristics of Effective Teams Diversity Each member has special training/expertise Effective communication Both patient and team members High standards Integrity and hard work Periodic self-assessment Finding new ways to improve

Team Roles In every team or group, members take on certain roles. Not formally assigned to individuals. Naturally acquired by team member according to personality type. Team Roles In every team or group, members take on certain roles. These roles are not formally assigned to individuals. Rather, the roles are naturally acquired by team members according to personality type. In 1948, Kenneth Benne and Paul Sheats identified three categories of roles: Task Roles Maintenance Roles Self-centered Roles

Task Roles Functions required for completing a task. Mostly positive in nature. May become overused or dominant causing dissention in a team. Task Roles Task roles are functions that are required for completing a task. These roles are mostly positive in nature. However, it is possible for roles to become overused or dominant. This can cause dissention in a team. The following list contains descriptions of prominent task roles: Initiator: Suggests new ideas and provides direction. Information Seeker: Asks for facts and clarification. Information Giver: Provides helpful and relevant information. Opinion Seeker: Asks for the opinion of the team. Opinion Giver: States personal beliefs and opinions. Elaborator: Expands upon the ideas of others. Evaluator: Acts as the critical thinker and identifies problems. Clarifier: Summarizes ideas and pulls concepts together. Energizer: Motivates the team to take action. Recorder: Keeps written records of team goals and ideas. Procedural Technician: Assists with preparation and provides materials.

Task Roles (Continued) Initiator: Suggests new ideas and provides direction. Information Seeker: Asks for facts and clarification. Information Giver: Provides helpful and relevant information. Opinion Seeker: Asks for the opinion of the team. Opinion Giver: States personal beliefs and opinions. Elaborator: Expands upon the ideas of others. Evaluator: Acts as the critical thinker and identifies problems. Clarifier: Summarizes ideas and pulls concepts together. Energizer: Motivates the team to take action. Recorder: Keeps written records of team goals and ideas. Procedural Technician: Assists with preparation and provides materials. Task Roles Task roles are functions that are required for completing a task. These roles are mostly positive in nature. However, it is possible for roles to become overused or dominant. This can cause dissention in a team. The following list contains descriptions of prominent task roles: Initiator: Suggests new ideas and provides direction. Information Seeker: Asks for facts and clarification. Information Giver: Provides helpful and relevant information. Opinion Seeker: Asks for the opinion of the team. Opinion Giver: States personal beliefs and opinions. Elaborator: Expands upon the ideas of others. Evaluator: Acts as the critical thinker and identifies problems. Clarifier: Summarizes ideas and pulls concepts together. Energizer: Motivates the team to take action. Recorder: Keeps written records of team goals and ideas. Procedural Technician: Assists with preparation and provides materials.

Maintenance Roles Needed to sustain the team. Positive traits that enhance the team’s productivity. Strengthen a team’s interpersonal relationships. Maintenance Roles Maintenance roles are needed to sustain the team. They are mainly positive traits that enhance the team’s productivity. They also strengthen a team’s interpersonal relationships. The following list contains descriptions of important maintenance roles: Encourager: Provides positive feedback. Harmonizer: Resolves conflict and monitors team unity. Compromiser: Offers solutions that everyone agrees on. Tension Releaser: Relieves tension through friendly humor. Gatekeeper: Encourages all members to participate. Observer: Evaluates group progress. Follower: Accepts and supports team ideas.

Maintenance Roles Encourager: Provides positive feedback. Harmonizer: Resolves conflict and monitors team unity. Compromiser: Offers solutions that everyone agrees on. Tension Releaser: Relieves tension through friendly humor. Gatekeeper: Encourages all members to participate. Observer: Evaluates group progress. Follower: Accepts and supports team ideas. Maintenance Roles Maintenance roles are needed to sustain the team. They are mainly positive traits that enhance the team’s productivity. They also strengthen a team’s interpersonal relationships. The following list contains descriptions of important maintenance roles: Encourager: Provides positive feedback. Harmonizer: Resolves conflict and monitors team unity. Compromiser: Offers solutions that everyone agrees on. Tension Releaser: Relieves tension through friendly humor. Gatekeeper: Encourages all members to participate. Observer: Evaluates group progress. Follower: Accepts and supports team ideas.

Self-Centered Roles Often negative and may hinder a team’s progress. Adopted by team members who feel that they have nothing to contribute. Must redirect so team does not become unproductive. Self-Centered Roles Self-centered roles are often negative and may hinder a team’s progress. These roles are usually adopted by team members who feel that they have nothing to contribute. A team leader must redirect these members so that the team does not become unproductive. The following list contains descriptions of several self-centered roles: Aggressor: Gives negative feedback and hurtful comments. Dominator: Monopolizes discussion and manipulates others. Blocker: Resists the team’s ideas without reason. Recognition Seeker: Boasts about personal achievements. Help Seeker: Acts helpless to avoid work. Confessor: Seeks emotional support. Clown: Goofs off and uses inappropriate humor. Deserter: Withdraws and does not contribute. Special Interest Pleader: Presents irrelevant personal interests.

Self-Centered Roles Aggressor: Gives negative feedback and hurtful comments. Dominator: Monopolizes discussion and manipulates others. Blocker: Resists the team’s ideas without reason. Recognition Seeker: Boasts about personal achievements. Help Seeker: Acts helpless to avoid work. Confessor: Seeks emotional support. Clown: Goofs off and uses inappropriate humor. Deserter: Withdraws and does not contribute. Special Interest Pleader: Presents irrelevant personal interests. Self-Centered Roles Self-centered roles are often negative and may hinder a team’s progress. These roles are usually adopted by team members who feel that they have nothing to contribute. A team leader must redirect these members so that the team does not become unproductive. The following list contains descriptions of several self-centered roles: Aggressor: Gives negative feedback and hurtful comments. Dominator: Monopolizes discussion and manipulates others. Blocker: Resists the team’s ideas without reason. Recognition Seeker: Boasts about personal achievements. Help Seeker: Acts helpless to avoid work. Confessor: Seeks emotional support. Clown: Goofs off and uses inappropriate humor. Deserter: Withdraws and does not contribute. Special Interest Pleader: Presents irrelevant personal interests.

Incorporating Roles Must learn to incorporate personal strengths into useful team roles. Must be able to recognize when weaknesses hinder the team. Incorporating Roles Team roles are present in health care facilities. Members of a health care team must learn to incorporate their personal strengths into useful team roles. For example, if a health care worker is a natural problem-solver, this worker may become the team’s evaluator or clarifier. Or if a health care worker is naturally encouraging, this worker may become the team’s energizer or encourager. Likewise, team members must be able to recognize when their weaknesses may hinder the team. For example, suppose a health care worker likes to clown around and have a good time. This trait is not bad, but it may cause distractions to the team. This health care worker must learn to practice self-control and channel the energy into positive input that will benefit and enhance the team.

Attitude to Avoid Inflexible Short tempered Close minded Judgmental Prejudiced Attitude of superiority Lazy Unapproachable Disrespectful Attitudes to Avoid Several character traits should never be seen in leaders. These negative traits could be destructive to the team and even prevent the team from achieving goals. Leaders must make sure that the following traits and attitudes are not displayed in the workplace: Inflexible Short tempered Close minded Judgmental Prejudiced Attitude of superiority Lazy Unapproachable Disrespectful

Conflict Resolution on a Team Conflict by itself is neither good nor bad, it just is Should be seen as an opportunity for agreement External Involves other people Internal An inner struggle to reach a decision or resolve an issue

How conflict gets started When something new challenges or contradicts our beliefs Change Stress

How conflict gets started Someone or something intrudes on our comfort zone Different opinions Diversity of any kind The need to be RIGHT

Problem Solving Handling problems and conflicts with a positive approach: 1. Identify the problem Be specific, stick to the problem Confront the issue not the person Be objective

Problem Solving 2. List all alternatives Generate as many as possible Consider all possibilities No evaluating of any kind Write down every idea 3. Evaluate the possible solutions Which one meets needs, goals Identify all possible outcomes-good or bad

Problem Solving 4. Choose best action Rank ideas according to greatest potential for success Compromise Take action: establish goals, evaluate progress, make changes