A hospital experiment in teamwork among students, nurses, and administrators

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Management
• Interprofessional Communication

Background:

• Adversarial relationships between medical students, nurses, and hospital staff were identified as detrimental to patient care at Hermann Hospital.
• A private, nonprofit teaching hospital in Houston, Texas, recognized the need for improved interprofessional dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a joint communications committee to improve relations between medical students and hospital personnel.
• To develop strategies that mitigate negative impacts on patient care stemming from interprofessional conflict.

Main Methods:

• Formation of a joint communications committee with representation from medical students, faculty, hospital administration, and nursing administration.
• Implementation of an orientation program for third-year medical students.
• Development of elective workshops for second-year students on clinical skills taught by practicing nurses and healthcare personnel.
• Establishment of roundtable seminars for all medical students.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation and ongoing refinement of orientation programs and skills workshops.
• Positive impact on the collaborative environment between medical students and hospital staff.
• Sustained committee efforts three years post-inception.

Conclusions:

• The joint committee's success is attributed to the active involvement of medical students in directing and evaluating programs.
• Interprofessional collaboration initiatives can effectively improve healthcare team dynamics and potentially patient care.
• Sustained interprofessional communication strategies are vital in teaching hospital environments.