Using a Sociogram to Characterize Communication During an Interprofessional Team Huddle

Abstract

Purpose

The complexity of modern medicine requires high-performance teamwork to ensure quality care. Teams rely on communication patterns that are replicable and efficient. The purpose of this observational study was to characterize communication dynamics among interprofessional team members during a team huddle. The study aimed to (a) characterize communication within structured huddles on an inpatient medicine unit by evaluating who talked and to whom and what types of communication took place during each interaction and (b) explore participants’ perceptions of the huddles.

Materials and Methods

We used a sociogram to diagram direct observations of the structure and patterns of group interaction. Through the sociogram, we documented the flow and frequency of team members information exchange, questions, and requests. We conducted two follow-up focus groups—one with residents and one with nurses.

Results

The most frequent type of interaction observed was information exchange: nurse to resident (28.3%) and resident to nurse (47%). Both residents and nurses asked questions: nurse to resident (7.4%) and resident to nurse (14.2%). Nurses made more requests of residents (2.8%) than vice versa (0.3%). Four themes emerged from focus group analysis, including the huddle promotes (1) a better-informed team, (2) relationship building, (3) communication process efficiencies, and (4) logistical challenges.

Conclusion

Sociograms can serve as a novel tool to characterize what actually happens during information exchange at the point of care and identify the nature of communication among team members. Daily huddles among team members involved in the frontline of patient care provides an opportunity to share information, requests, and questions and update shared mental models to meet team objectives.

Keywords:

• interprofessional communication
• direct observation
• information exchange
• sociogram

Acknowledgments

This paper reports research that was funded by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and in keeping with the University of Missouri’s grant-funded program: Learning to Provide Better Care in Teams: The Next Steps in Strengthening Geriatrics Medical Education at University of Missouri School of Medicine. The authors wish to thank Jessica Fleagle and Karen Cox for their help providing access and their contributions to this research.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.