title: Validation of a teamwork perceptions measure to increase patient safety.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) is a team-training intervention which shows promise in aiding the mitigation of medical errors. This article examines the construct validity of the TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire (T-TPQ), a self-report survey that examines multiple dimensions of perceptions of teamwork within healthcare settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using survey-based methods, 1700 multidisciplinary healthcare professionals and support staff were measured on their perceptions of teamwork. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the five TeamSTEPPS dimensions: Leadership, Mutual Support, Situation Monitoring, Communication, and Team Structure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis indicated that the T-TPQ measure is more reliable than previously thought (Cronbach's α=0.978). Further, our final tested model showed a good fit with the data (x(2) (df) 3601.27 (546), p<0.0001, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI)=0.942, Comparative fit index (CFI)=0.947, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=0.057), indicating that the measure appears to have construct validity. Further, all dimensions correlated with one another, but were shown to be independent constructs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The T-TPQ is a construct-valid instrument for measuring perceptions of teamwork. This has beneficial implications for patient safety and future research that studies medical teamwork.
authors.affiliation: Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Keebler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.affiliation: Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas, USA University of Kansas School of Medicine Wichita, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lazzara
authors.affiliation: Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Benishek
authors.affiliation: Army Patient Safety Program, US Army Medical Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: US Department of Defense Patient Safety Program, Defense Health Agency , Falls Church, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Phyllis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Toor
authors.affiliation: US Department of Defense Patient Safety Program, Defense Health Agency , Falls Church, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Heidi B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA Department of Psychology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salas
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards; D061214:Patient Safety; D058996:Quality Improvement
keywords: Patient safety; Surveys; Teamwork