Improving teamwork, trust and safety: An ethnographic study of an interprofessional initiative

Abstract

This study explored the perceptions of staff in an interprofessional team based on a medical rehabilitation ward for older people, following the introduction of a service improvement programme designed to promote better teamworking. The study aimed to address a lack of in-depth qualitative research that could explain the day-to-day realities of interprofessional teamworking in healthcare. All members of the team participated, (e.g. nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, social worker, occupational therapists), and findings suggest that interprofessional teamworking improved over the 12-month period. Four themes emerged from the data offering insights into the development and effects of better interprofessional teamworking: the emergence of collegial trust within the team, the importance of team meetings and participative safety, the role of shared objectives in conflict management and the value of autonomy within the team. Reductions in staff sickness/absence levels and catastrophic/major patient safety incidents were also detected following the introduction of the service improvement programme.

Keywords:

• Interprofessional team work
• patient care team
• healthcare delivery
• programme evaluation
• qualitative research

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the staff and patients who agreed to participate in the study, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, Dr. Karl Davis and Jonathan Pritchard for providing additional data. Many thanks also to the reviewers and editorial team whose comments have improved the quality of this article. Funding was provided via the Wales Office for Research & Development Research Capacity Building Scheme (RCBC Wales) and The Health Foundation.