Exploring the process of a skin care team

In early 1994, the nursing department in a 153 bed acute care facility with a twenty bed short-term physical rehabilitation unit noticed that patients were developing nosocomial skin care problems at their facility. It was found that patients who returned to the facility within 31 days were at risk. A one-day, prevalence survey was conducted which revealed the presence of a high percentage of pressure ulcers among the patients surveyed. A group of nurses decided to institute a multidisciplinary team in an attempt to solve the skin care problems, which resulted in the formation of a Skin Care Team. The Skin Care Team sought to improve the appropriateness, effectiveness, and efficiency of delivering skin care to patients, as well as to improve the continuity of care among healthcare providers in the provision of skin care services. The following article was written by a member of the Skin Care Team. The concept of teamwork is defined and explored, and a description of the developmental process of a team, specifically a skin care team, is also provided.