The success of any quality improvement (QI) endeavor depends on the team working on it. It is not the number of people, but rather how well they function and work together, that makes a team successful. QI team members must respect each other, and share common goals, a vision, agendas, and timelines to be successful.

—Lendermen et al., 2014, p. 1

Quality improvement cannot be achieved without the use of teams. One person cannot enact change for an entire organization or practice, so the use of teams is an integral component for quality improvement initiatives. However, how teams are created and managed aligns directly with the success of the initiative being proposed and implemented within an organization or practice.

This week, you will examine the use of—and building of—teams for quality improvement initiatives. You will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of teams, as well as explore strategies to build the most effective team for the promotion of quality improvement.

Reference:

Lenderman, H., Reffett, H., Moran, J., & Beaudry, M. (2014). Selecting quality improvement team members. http://www.phf.org/resourcestools/Documents/Team_Member_Selection_Tool.pdf

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Recommend strategies for building effective quality improvement teams
• Evaluate membership and roles of stakeholders in quality improvement teams
• Analyze potential challenges in becoming a member or stakeholder in a quality improvement team

Learning Resources

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)

Discussion: Strategies for Building Effective Teams

• You have been assigned to work on a team to support a new quality improvement initiative at your nursing practice. The initiative is designed to support and improve patient care, and the team is tasked with leading the initiative. The team is comprised of the best and the brightest the nursing practice has to offer, selecting only the leaders of each department. However, after the first team meeting, you discover the team dynamics might lead to more argument than action.

• Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

If this concern manifests this early in the planning process of a quality improvement initiative, is this team the most effective for this task? What strategy might work best to ensure that the right team is composed for the task ahead?

Working in teams provides an important benefit to addressing a problem. A team can provide nuanced ideas and strategies that might be missed by working individually. Teams help to lessen the load on an individual, as well as provide different perspectives to spark ideas. However, working in teams is not without its challenges.

A mix of personalities, experiences, and styles can make or break a team, so what are the best ways to build an effective team? What strategies can be utilized to minimize any adverse effects of working in teams?

For this Discussion, consider what makes an effective team. What strategies might you use to build an effective team? Who might need to be included in a team? Consider the use of teams for quality improvement, and analyze what would make an effective team for a quality improvement initiative.

To Prepare:

• Review the Learning Resources for this week, and consider the potential impact and role of teams in quality improvement.
• Reflect on potential strategies for building effective teams in promoting quality improvement initiatives for nursing practice and/or healthcare organizations.
• Consider the type of stakeholders that might comprise these teams and potential challenges for “earning a seat at the table” of such a quality improvement team.

By Day 3 of Week 7

Post a brief explanation of a strategy you might recommend for building effective teams to support a quality improvement initiative in your healthcare organization or nursing practice. Be specific. Briefly describe the stakeholders you would recommend to make up this quality improvement team, and explain why. Be sure to define the roles of the members making up the quality improvement team. Then, explain any potential challenges or considerations you should keep in mind that may affect who might “earn a seat at the table” to comprise this team. Be specific and provide examples.

By Day 6 of Week 7

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by expanding upon your colleague’s post or offering an alternative strategy recommendation and/or alternative stakeholders to take part in the quality improvement team described by your colleague.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 7 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 of Week 7 and Respond by Day 6 of Week 7

To Participate in this Discussion:

Week 7 Discussion

What’s Coming Up in Week 8?

Next week, you will explore the application of quality improvement models in organizations and systems. You will also consider the application of these models on adverse events in nursing practice.

Next Week