Benefits and losses: a qualitative study exploring healthcare staff perceptions of teamworking.
OBJECTIVE
To examine staff perceptions of teamworking practice in the field of stroke care.


METHODS
Qualitative interview study.


METHODS
Three teams providing care to patients with stroke across a typical care pathway of acute hospital ward, specialist stroke unit, and community rehabilitation.


METHODS
37 staff members from a range of professions.


METHODS
Healthcare staff perceptions of teamworking.


RESULTS
Through detailed coding and analysis of the transcripts, five perceptions regarding the impact of teamworking on staff and patients were identified. These were: (1) mutual staff support, (2) knowledge and skills sharing, (3) timely intervention/discharge, (4) reduced individual decision-making and responsibility and (5) impact on patient contact time.


CONCLUSIONS
Teamworking practice may be associated with a number of perceived benefits for staff and patient care; however, the potential for losses resulting from reduced patient contact time and ill-defined responsibility needs further investigation.
Baxter
S K
SK
Department of Human Communication Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. s.k.baxter@sheffield.ac.uk
Brumfitt
S M
SM
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008503:Medical Staff / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015279:Organizational Culture; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010348:Patient Care Team; D036301:Qualitative Research