The Benefit of Effective Teamwork in Managing the Nursing Practice - Research Paper Example

Teamwork Concept Analysis The benefit of effective teamwork in managing the nursing practice is remarkably extensive. A comprehensive overview of the practice using a theoretical framework facilitates the understanding of the concept and its procedural development and application. Teamwork constitutes an integral element in working within a multidisciplinary platform such as nursing practice. Thus, this dissertation explores the theory of Goal Attainment, relating accordingly to the concept of teamwork. Additionally, it explores the Walker and Avant method in understanding the concept of teamwork. Nursing theory Holistic nursing in its entirety entails the practices that focus on the healing of the whole person. The practice focuses in the person as an entity rather than his or her illness. Addressing the interconnection of the activities entailed in facilitating the care is essential in developing a conceptual framework for facilitating care services. Thus, since the institution of the nursing practice, scholars and practicing nurses continue to research and explore the practice accordingly establishing key practical theoretical approaches that guide the procedures of giving care (Hall, 2005). Notably, the theories are highly generalized as they apply in vast perspectives and situations within the care setting. Such contributors to the profession include Imogene King, who developed the Theory of Goal Attainment in the early 1960s. The theory describes the dynamics of engaging the patient to grow and achieve a given life goal. Evaluating the course of the theory, it is evident that it is key to the nursing practice as it facilitates key contributions to the practice. The application of the Imogene King Theory of Goal Attainment contributes to the practice as it focuses on the core factors that influence the holistic health of the person (Kim & Kollak, 2006). The theory helps understand and evaluate the factors that influence and impair the attainment of goals. King identifies these factors to include roles, stress, time and space (Kim & Kollak, 2006). Thus, in managing the procedures of the nursing practice, the nurse can adequately apply this theory to establish the core cause of the patient suffering and give a conclusive procedure of addressing the patient case. Through the theory, it contributes significantly in evaluating the patient while observing the ethical and legal stratifications of the practice. The model of the theory identifies three interacting systems, which constitute the process of addressing the patient situation. These are the core elements, which require coordination and teamwork to apply accordingly in addressing the patient need successfully. The interacting systems include the personal level, which incorporates concepts such as perception, the self, body image, space, time and growth and development (Kim & Kollak, 2006). The second system is the interpersonal, which entails the concepts of interaction, transaction, role and stress, and communication. The last is the social system, which incorporates concepts of authority, power, organization, status, and decision-making (Kim & Kollak, 2006). These three systems, together with their concepts facilitate the nursing practice accordingly, as they require the incorporation of each element in a team coordinated approach to providing holistic nursing for the patient. Further, the theory defines the process in which the nurse and client share information and interact accordingly leading to the establishment of goals for facilitating the care process (Kim & Kollak, 2006). Thus, this model contributes significantly to building practice experience and knowledge for the nurse while increasing their chances of success in administering satisfactory care. The nursing domain includes promoting, maintaining and restoring health; thus, applying this theory in the conceptual framework of teamwork facilitates the process of care for the practicing nurse. The objective of nursing is to help the individual maintain healthy and functional lives, a function that the theory by Imogene King accurately and successfully addresses in the various concepts. The Goal Attainment Theory explores the processes of meeting goals and effectiveness in nursing care. The Teamwork Concept In the healthcare setting today, the practice gaining popularity is teamwork. Professional nursing practice extensively relies on the functioning of the system as a unit rather than individuals. As the nurses act in a team, the result is the job becomes easier and they achieve more efficiency (Meleis, 2011). Further, they enhance the care for the patient. Thus, reflecting on this course. The concept of teamwork facilitates a core framework in implementing the Imogene King theory in the nursing practice. When the nursing team emphasizes on teamwork, meeting the patient needs and improving patient outcome become a common goal. Notably, the interrelation of concepts and integration of varied disciplines in nursing practice constitute the core reason for adopting the theory as Imogene King present, within the concept of teamwork. The Theory of Goal Attainment as established defines the nursing process as entailing action, reaction and interaction between the nurse and client (Kim & Kollak, 2006). The two as they engage as entities in the situation share information, with the nurse bringing the professional knowledge while the client brings the issue and characteristics of the situation. These institutes the core concept of communication emphasized in the interpersonal system of the theory. Therefore, as the two engage, they establish the exchange platform. For the nurse and client to engage successfully, they need to approach the interaction process peacefully as established in teamwork (Meleis, 2011). The behavior of the client and practicing nurse needs integration to achieve the goal intended in addressing the patient need. The theory identifies that the patient assessment occurs at the interaction; hence, the cooperation of both participants is key to success. Additionally, the theory incorporates systems entailing personal, interpersonal and social concepts. Thus, it is essential to note that each concept of the theory comes with a different professional approach, necessitating the need to consult from peers in the practice. Therefore, as nurses, the concept of teamwork applies significantly. The nurses have varied experience levels, and all encounter different cases in their practice (Meleis, 2011). Additionally, the nurses also practice at different capacities, such as administrators among others. Thus, realizing this technical aspect of the dynamic profession, the nurses rely extensively on working as a team to achieve the goals of their practice. The nurses consult and engage each other accordingly as they work from their multidisciplinary fields of practice to facilitate different care perspectives in the practice (Walker & Avant, 2005). Thus, with respect to this theory, the nurses are essential entities that facilitate the process of giving care to the clients. Working as a team constitutes the core for achieving successful interaction, communication, and integration within the practice. Teamwork Concept using The Walker and Avant method The concept of teamwork entails an important facilitator in the procedural delivery of quality healthcare services (Hall, 2005). The concept borrows from the interrelated and extensively integrated perceptive of the nursing practice, as interdisciplinary aspects of the practice require an integrated approach. Teamwork in literary terms includes the processes of engaging in an activity as a unit rather than a system of individuals (Hall, 2005). Thus, teamwork remains the core concept for achieving the goals of an effective nursing practice. Thus, the concept is elemental in varied aspects to the assessment of the success of the individuals constituting the unit working as a team. The teamwork is the ongoing process entailing interaction between the members working together, in facilitating the care to the patients. In attributes, the concept of teamwork is synonymous to collaboration, although the two are subject to causal deliberations. Notably, the procedures of teamwork require an explicit decision-making process, in which the members agree to cooperate and share a common objective, facilitating the process of service delivery (Hall, 2005). Additionally, another attribute is that the members constituting the team have to sacrifice their autonomy and allow the activity they are to undertake proceed with coordination from the team. The deliberation and pronouncement of the decisions in a team setting are through the leader of the team. Thus, the core process results in sharing of professional responsibilities. These include the introduction of specialized skills and knowledge from the members constituting the team. In effect, the results are more commitment and monitoring of the activities of each teammate; hence, successful coordination and cooperation of the team members. In the healthcare setting adopting teamwork is key as each nurse brings expertise and experience to the team (Walker & Avant, 2005). A model case occurs as a client with an interrelated care need seeks care in the hospital and the attending nurse lacks the conceptual skill to address entirely the case. The patient, undergoing respiratory therapy, will require the services of the attending physician, respiratory therapist and assigned nurse. Thus, in this aspect, the concept of teamwork is reflectively significant, as the patient requires a multidisciplinary approach. Thus, with a conceptual cooperation of the healthcare members, the patient achieves quality care. To measure and establish the success of the case as integrated, observe the patient outcome. The weaning process requires standardized protocols, thus, evidence of factors such as wrong medication or medication of the patient at wrong time reflects the lack of teamwork. The coordinated effort bares benefits including effective and efficient care for the patient. Further, the patient complains regarding the process of handling the care process such as during the shift change of nurses is illustration of the success in teamwork among the nurses. When the nurses change shift, briefing is essential and occurs successfully when there is teamwork. Thus, poor care services would illustrate lack of teamwork in the care setting. Concept application In applying the concept of teamwork, the evidence is in the characteristic effectiveness of the teams. The processes of adopting change and increased ability to address and resolve problems indicate positive progress of implementing teamwork (Hall, 2005). Teamwork enhanced through collaboration of inter-professional environment brings a range of benefits. An illustration is assessing the cases of clinical errors that occur in the care setting from lack of teamwork (Mason-Whitehead, 2008). Notably, in recent research, the report showed result of care settings, which implement teamwork successful and a control experiment in care settings without model teamwork concepts. The evidence in this research process reflected that clinical errors are most likely to occur in hospitals without coordinated teamwork. Notably, in the U.S., 4.4% of clinical errors occur due to weak and inadequate teamwork approaches (Mason-Whitehead, 2008). Therefore, to improve the performance of the care setting teamwork is essential. To achieve teamwork, the process begins with establishing programs that institute teambuilding among the members of the care setting. Teambuilding tools encourage the performance of the nurses as a team and improve their performance and guidance. Further, policy defines the essence of collaboration and cooperation in care settings. Thus, the concept of teamwork is the core in the nursing practice and is only successful when all entities embrace the concept. References Hall, L. M. G. (2005). Quality work environments for nurse and patient safety. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Kim, H. S., & Kollak, I. (2006). Nursing Theories: Conceptual and Philosophical Foundations. New York: Springer Pub. Co. Meleis, A. I. (2011). Theoretical nursing: Development and progress. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Mason-Whitehead, E. (2008). Key concepts in nursing. Los Angeles: SAGE. Walker, L. O., & Avant, K. C. (2005). Strategies for theory construction in nursing. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Read More