- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Part 1.1 The intensive care unit
- Part 1.2 Communication
- Chapter 10 Effective teamwork in the ICU
- Chapter 11 Communication with patients and families in the ICU
- Chapter 12 Telemedicine in critical care
- Part 1.3 Training
- Part 1.4 Safety and quality
- Part 1.5 Governance
- Part 1.6 Research
- Part 1.7 Medico-legal and ethical issues
- Part 1.8 Critical illness risk prediction
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 43) Effective teamwork in the ICU
- Chapter:
- (p. 43) Effective teamwork in the ICU
- Author(s):
Peter G. Brindley
- DOI:
- 10.1093/med/9780199600830.003.0010
The Institute for Health Improvement argues that medical errors contribute to tens-of-thousands of deaths annually in the USA alone. Others have posited the need to make a ‘science of team performance’ and a ‘science of managing complexity’. Experts also believe that if our goal should be to maximize patient safety; thus we must tackle our ‘missing curriculum’ to minimize the disconnection between what should be and what is usual. Growing evidence shows that teamwork and communication is key to bridging these ‘care gaps’. This chapter outlines how critical care team skills (and ‘verbal dexterity’) can match procedural dexterity and factual know-how, using practical strategies from other high-stakes industries. Whether we think in team terms is a comment on medical culture. Regardless, given teamwork’s importance, it is time to argue that there really is no ‘I in ICU’!
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Part 1.1 The intensive care unit
- Part 1.2 Communication
- Chapter 10 Effective teamwork in the ICU
- Chapter 11 Communication with patients and families in the ICU
- Chapter 12 Telemedicine in critical care
- Part 1.3 Training
- Part 1.4 Safety and quality
- Part 1.5 Governance
- Part 1.6 Research
- Part 1.7 Medico-legal and ethical issues
- Part 1.8 Critical illness risk prediction
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care