The teamwork project: a collaborative approach to learning to nurse families

The purpose of this exploratory study was to gain insight into students' perceptions of learning to nurse families using a team approach. A sample of 112 third-year baccalaureate nursing students provided data from clinical journals and responses to a teacher-developed questionnaire regarding number of home visits made with a partner, the extent to which partners shared responsibility for the nursing care of two families, perceived benefits and disadvantages of teamwork, roles assumed by team members, perceived outcomes of the team approach, and suggestions for revision of the approach. The degree to which students shared responsibility was moderate and positive perceptions of teamwork were significantly correlated with the degree of sharing of nursing activities. Using Spradley's qualitative method of domain analysis, interpretation of data from students' clinical journals revealed subjective aspects of the experience that appeared to influence teamwork practices and attitudes. Results suggest that the shared assignment approach offers students a unique opportunity to learn about the realities of collaborative nursing practice.