title: Key indicators of nursing care team performance: insights from the front line.
abstract: Self-directed nursing care teams (NCTs), comprised of a registered nurse (RN) team leader and two or more non-licensed caregivers, are a key feature of patient-focused care reengineering. In well-functioning teams: (1) role overlap routinely occurs; (2) team members express satisfaction with interpersonal communication; and (3) team members express the belief that their shared purpose--and that of the health care organization--is the patient. Focus groups of team members in two case study hospitals expressed generalized dissatisfaction with performance on all three key imperatives of well-functioning teams, but also generally agreed that team delivery of bedside nursing care can work if properly managed. Based on study findings, recommendations for process improvement are made.
authors.affiliation: Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, Malvern, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dreachslin
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sprainer
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D009746:Nursing, Team / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States