TEAMWORK IN NURSING

Midwest4me · Mar 29, 2009

Quite simply put in my opinion, teamwork is completing your tasks but helping others complete theirs too (as time allows).

whodunit · Mar 29, 2009

To me , teamwork is everyone working together for the good of the pt, unit and everyone's sanity. We have such awlful pts at times; that if it were not for each of us pitching in and helping whoever is in need, we would all be hurting ! I love my co-workers, there isn't a better bunch anywhere !!!!!!

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2009

Teamwork to me means everyone pulls their weight, and those who are caught up on their work pitch in and help those that aren't.

lamazeteacher · Mar 29, 2009

Team Nursing was a new concept just when I graduated nursing school, in 1960. That meant that a patient received their care by many nurses during each shift. One gave meds, another provided treatments, another took care of their hygiene, and everything got done that way, instead of one nurse doing total care. I much prefer doing total care, and when I was a patient, having fewer people lliterally on my case.

Then about 20 years later, I was introduced to a different form of healthcare team work, which included all auxilliary professionals, with the patient being the most important member of the team. The only thing that thwarted that, was the impossibility of having a team meeting.

I still think the patient has to be considered and told that he/she is the most important member of the team! Without them having knowledge about their illness and what will improve their condition, what is going to be done for them, and what goals are in the process of being reached, they're kind of dragged along like a weight. They also may become oppositional, which delays their recovery. Regular daily communication with all members of the team are needed, which can be accomplished in having progress notes made clearly by each discipline, and being read by all members of the team.

In hospitals it also means that all patients are the responsibility of all the nurses and auxilliary professional personnel there. Everyone answers lights, and follows through with what is needed, until it is done. It's like, "one for all, and all for one".

edmurse77 · Mar 29, 2009

amen lamazeteacher ! i like teamwork. i hate team nursing. just try to help others when they are sinking and they should help you. however if the same nurse has to keep being helped maybe you need to do some teaching. not that you don't help them, but also help them get a plan and organize. we all know that as soon as we are almost caught up something is going to happen.

RNperdiem, RN · Mar 29, 2009

Teamwork is essential in my unit.

A patient rolls in from the ED.

Who is going to get them off the stretcher and into bed?

You alone?

The patient is too sedated and is on spinal precautions.

Your coworkers will not need to be called. They will see the patient arrive, they will help you transfer the patient to the bed, get them off the backboard, help get your labs, vital signs, attach the patient to the monitor.

When you are settled and the patient is stabilized, the coworkers will go back to their work with the understanding that you will jump in and help them when you need them.

RN1982 · Mar 29, 2009

I work in ICU and teamwork is essential. We get a group report before deciding assignments. I always tell my co-workers that it's not just your patient, it's everyone's patient. We make sure that everyone is caught up and doesn't need help. We don't let each other get swamped with tasks, so if a nurse is busy with one patient, we'll watch over her other patient until things have settled down. When we admit a patient, all the nurses are in the room, two are getting the patient settled in bed and putting on the monitor leads, getting vitals etc., one is drawing labs, the patient's primary nurse is doing their assessment, and the other nurse is documenting the assessment in the computer. We have a great team.