Podcast 859: Teamwork Really Makes the Dream Work

Contributor: Aaron Lessen MD

Educational Pearls:

• 33 Medical residents and 91 nurses at Massachusetts General Hospital were randomized into two groups:

• Intervention group: 15 PGY-1 residents assigned to the same medical service floor for a 16-week period (12 weeks after adjustment for COVID-19 restrictions) alongside 43 nurses.

• Control group: 18 PGY-1 residents assigned to the usual 4-week block rotations across 6 medical floors. 

• At 6 months, there were no differences in teamwork performance metrics including advanced medical simulations and nurse presence at rounds.

• The 12-month assessment demonstrated improvement in performance metrics.

• Increased time together allows individuals to get to know each other better and therefore improve performance metrics that rely on communication.

References

1. Iyasere CA, Wing J, Martel JN, Healy MG, Park YS, Finn KM. Effect of Increased Interprofessional Familiarity on Team Performance, Communication, and Psychological Safety on Inpatient Medical Teams: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2022;182(11):1190-1198. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.4373

Summarized by Jorge Chalit, OMSII | Edited by Meg Joyce & Jorge Chalit, OMSII