Teamwork in the OR
BY HUYEN NGUYEN, MAY 10, 2006
An article in the New York Times reports on the issue of inadequate teamwork in the hospital environment according to a study cited in the Annals of Surgery and The Journal of the American College of Surgeons. The study surveyed more than 2,100 medical workers, including surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses, at 60 hospitals in 16 states. The study showed that according to their colleagues, surgeons showed least desire to participate in teamwork; whereas, nurses received the highest rating. This study was based on the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire used in the airlines industry to improve cockpit management. The ultimate goal is to have open communications among team members to reduce preventable mistakes.
The article goes on to provide an example of sponges left in patients after surgery by the operating room team due to lack of communication. However, the issue isn't just communication alone, it also involves in "getting over barriers of class, race, gender and even general outlook." The study asked participants about solutions to better communicate in the operating room and found that nurses want more respect; whereas, physicians would like nurses to follow instructions better.
Given any professional setting, teamwork is a primary factor for success. In order to provide the highest quality medical care and reduce the consequences of malpractice, physicians must learn to give better instructions in the operating room and be more open to feedback.
