Transforming Team Culture: A Case Study From Critical Care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Psychology
• Team Dynamics

Background:

• Interprofessional team conflict negatively impacts patient care and safety.
• Dysfunctional workplace cultures arise from unresolved differences and negative reactions.
• Critical care clinicians recognized their interactions hindered collaborative care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the impacts of dysfunctional team culture in critical care.
• To introduce interventions for transforming interprofessional team interactions.
• To enhance collaborative clinical management and patient safety.

Main Methods:

• A case study involving 18 critical care clinicians (physicians, nurses, fellows).
• Facilitation of two 2-hour workshops by nurse and physician experts.
• Introduction of the learning pathways grid to explore assumptions and interactions.

Main Results:

• Clinicians identified how faulty assumptions led to dysfunctional interactions.
• New insights enabled teams to redesign interactions based on understanding others' goals.
• Psychological safety was established, fostering humility, inquiry, and trust.

Conclusions:

• Understanding colleagues' perspectives benefits patients, families, and clinicians.
• Developing a mindset of humility and inquiry transforms dysfunctional interactions.
• A conversational approach grounded in curiosity, respect, and transparency is key for effective critical care communication.