Teamwork and staffing in an acute care hospital

Abstract

The literature suggests that teamwork among patient care teams can have positive effects on work environment, job satisfaction, and quality of patient care. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived level of nursing teamwork by registered nurses, registered practical nurses, personal support workers, and unit clerks working on patient care teams in one acute tertiary care hospital in northern Ontario, and to determine if there is a relationships between the staff scores on the Nursing Teamwork Survey (NTS) and participant perception of adequate staffing. Using a quantitative descriptive cross-sectional research design, 600 staff were invited to complete the NTS with a 33% response rate (N=200). The participants from the critical care unit reported the highest scores on the NTS, while participants from the inpatient surgical (IPS) unit reported the lowest scores. Participants from the IPS unit also reported less experience, less satisfaction in their current position, and a higher intention to leave. No statistically significant correlation was found between scores on the NTS and the perception of adequate staffing. Strategies to increase teamwork among patient care teams may positively influence job satisfaction and patient care on patient care units.