Introduction
The problem chosen for this assignment is the issue of teamwork in healthcare organizations. The effectiveness of the provision of medical services is influenced by factors such as the composition of the team of medical specialists and the relationship between them. Such a complex activity cannot be achieved solely through the use of high-tech equipment and training of doctors in new technical skills, and it is necessary to resort to various training or courses. Working on healthcare workers’ relationships is essential to achieve better results and provide timely and adequate medical care.
Essence of Teamwork
The quality of treatment of patients largely depends on the collaborative work of the medical staff, consisting of specialists of different specialties and competencies. Rydenfält et al. (2017) define that “a team is a group of people that are set to work together on a task, and teamwork is then what they do in relation to their task” (p. 347). The specifics of the processes of providing medical care are that they require the integration and practical cooperation of people of various professions. In addition, this type of collaboration is beneficial for each participant. It provides an opportunity to understand better the issues that arise in the process and the problems that affect the work, allows sharing ideas, work creatively, establishes strong connections with colleagues, and acquire new knowledge and skills.
However, there are certain costs and disadvantages of teamwork. The lack of agreement in the team can reduce the effectiveness of actions. Furthermore, over-focusing on collaboration can prevent team members from peaking and achieving greater results (Ramadanov, 2020). The weakening of ethical principles also reduces the morality of people’s behavior. The downside is that team members may value the group more than vital decisions and willfully ignore facts that contradict the prevailing opinion.
The predominance of the point of view of one leader does not always allow us to take into account other beliefs coming from followers. There is a tendency to avoid conflict within the group at all costs, especially under stress. This can lead to the destruction of the relationship in the future. The avoidance of expressing doubts aloud and the lack of criticism in relation to the correctness of the decision made contribute to group mistakes.
Quality Improvement Model
The QI model chosen for this assignment is the Plan-Do-Study-Act model (PDSA). PDCA is a model for quality management and process improvement. The main idea seems to be that to improve something, and people need to understand what is wrong, fix it, and then achieve the stability of the process and save the resulting changes. Furthermore, if something needs to be changed again, it only goes in the direction of improvement. The cyclical continuation of the four steps, Plan-Do-Study-Act, leads to a spiral of constant customer satisfaction at ever lower costs. It should be noted that the PDSA model should be carried out on a preferably small scale.
This is due to the fact that the development and implementation of changes, the actual activity, and its analysis are carried out here simultaneously in a single cycle, so it is pretty challenging to understand: what determines the results achieved – the shortcomings of the new standards or the failures of their implementation.
The PDSA includes the planning stage, which consists of identifying a specific process, figuring out how it can be improved, identifying indicators, goals, and objectives that will help the development of this process, and planning specific activities that should be implemented. Next comes the execution or logical consequence of the previous phase, when all the planned activities are performed. The study brings to mind the data and results obtained in the last step and their analysis. Then, the reasons for the deviations are identified, if any, and what changes need to be made to improve the process according to the planning phase. The last stage includes corrective actions are carried out that will allow achieving the planned indicators in the planning phase. If necessary, the planned indicators are changed, or resources are reallocated.
In accordance with this quality improvement model, this approach shifts the responsibility for poor performance from the performer to the manager. Therefore, the manager needs to appoint specialists who can monitor the process and progress of the team of media specialists. The manager should be at the head of the table during decision-making since there is a pattern that most of the problems are caused by the management system and managers are responsible for them, and the fault of the performers is present only in a small number of cases of problems.
Running PDSA Cycles
This paper examines the application of the PDSA model of quality improvement in the field of medical care. Christoff (2018) identifies that “PDSA cycles are among the most frequently used tools in healthcare quality improvement” (p. 198). The author provides a hypothetical example from a real-life Quality Improvement Initiative sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, presented with a step-by-step approach to applying the PDSA model. The pediatric team showed appropriate use of the essential components of a PDSA cycle during the experiment (Christoff, 2018). In conclusion, the application of the model led to a significant improvement in the results in the provision of medical care in healthcare organizations.
Using the PDSA Model in Established Simulated Patient Program
The main goal of the work is to describe the use of the quality improvement process to strengthen the patient modeling program. For this purpose, a group of five clinical teachers with significant experience working with SF was assembled (Vordenberg et al., 208). The PDSA model was used because of the possibility of allowing incremental changes to improve quality. The process of implementing the quality improvement model helped justify additional staff support, create new resources, and plan for future improvements.
Implementing Evidence-Based Practice Nursing Using the PDSA Model
In this study, PDSA was considered as part of evidence-based practice (EBP). This practice is of particular value in modern healthcare. An evidence-based experiment was conducted at the University Teaching Hospital (Katowa-Mukwato et al., 2021). It used a quality improvement approach that included modified collaborative development based on experience, rapid analysis of evidence, and practical implementation of evidence. The study of the results showed that in the planning process, health professionals who participated from the very beginning of the planning stage had more involvement in the project and a good understanding of the process, and therefore their participation in the process was more significant.
Conclusion
Well-coordinated and well-coordinated teamwork is vital in all areas of human activity. It also helps to improve the quality and effectiveness of patient care, increase employee satisfaction with their work, and reduce or prevent their physical and emotional exhaustion. A review of current data on strategies and approaches to the application of the PDSA model has shown its indispensable effectiveness in the field of public health.
References
Christoff, P. (2018). Running PDSA cycles. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 48(8), 198-201. Web.
Katowa-Mukwato, P., Mwiinga-Kalusopa, V., Chitundu, K., Kanyanta, M., Chanda, D., Mwelwa, M. M., Wahilaa, R., Petronellad, M., & Carrier, J. (2021). Implementing Evidence Based Practice nursing using the PDSA model: Process, lessons and implications. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 14. Web.
Ramadanov, N. (2020). Teamwork in a Surgical Department. Teamwork in Healthcare.
Rydenfält, C., Odenrick, P., & Larsson, P. A. (2017). Organizing for teamwork in healthcare: an alternative to team training? Journal of Health Organization and Management, 31(3), 347-362. Web.
Vordenberg, S. E., Smith, M. A., Diez, H. L., Remington, T. L., & Bostwick, J. R. (2018). Using the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) model for continuous quality improvement of an established simulated patient program. Innovations in Pharmacy, 9(2). Web.