The concept that healthcare is a team sport has long advanced among medical professionals. A concerted effort is needed to make this word a credible fact in healthcare.
The people behind programs such as Interprofessional partnerships that advance care and education (iPACE) Main Medical Center does its work at the Physician Residency Training level. The program aims to improve interprofessional collaboration to meet the specific needs and workflows in each patient care setting.
Two grant team members spearheading the iPACE program. AMA Reimagining Residency Initiative grant and expanding to cover all units in the Main Medical Center. This provided insight into how residents could create more cohesive team dynamics when working with non-physician colleagues. Here are four important tips.
find the power of numbers
find the power of numbers
The iPACE philosophy relies on everyone working together to create a single plan for treating patients. To do so, bedside rounds are conducted with multiple members of the care team, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and occupational therapists.
Outside of rounds, it is helpful to bring in other members of the care team when evaluating the patient. Kari Baraklis, MDMSEd, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center and Principal Investigator of the iPACE Project.
“Don’t go see a patient alone,” she said. “Ask the nurses and take them. If you see an occupational therapist on the floor, grab them and go see a patient in a group. …if it’s unstructured, can do that.”
look to AMAs active in residencies Series for timely guidance. Get resources and tips to keep up with the demands of fast-paced training, publish scientific research, stay healthy and happy, and handle medical school student loan debt.
give up boss cloak
give up boss cloak
“Depictions of medicine in general, TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, and some of the more traditional medical school experiences show that when medical students become residents, they are in charge of the team. It really inspires me to think about it,” Barakris said.
“And that is no longer the case in iPACE settings, nor in iPACE settings. No one wants to be underestimated in a healthcare team.”
See why residency training new emphasis on physical examination.
create a bond
create a bond
We have healthcare with high turnover. Introducing yourself to unfamiliar care team members and interacting outside the clinical area during a shift can increase the psychological safety of team members. Dr. Varaklis gave an example of working with a traveling nurse.
This multidisciplinary team model is even more effective when residents say: This week’s resident Let’s go together. Please let me know what you need. I will teach you what you need. ”
A few words of comfort like that, and “suddenly, that traveling nurse’s anxiety was greatly reduced,” said Dr. Baraklis.
Discover 4 helpful tips Residents become telemedicine superusers.
make a patient a teammate
make a patient a teammate
Patients are at the center of all care decisions. During chaotic shifts, that core fact can get lost in the mix.
By approaching patients in collaboration with other members of the care team, residents can focus on who they are treating and further involve the most important stakeholders in the care plan.
iPACE program manager, Dr. Melissa Zelaya-Floyd, said: “In addition, patients are given an opportunity to have a say in planning care, and that extends not only to patients but also to their families.”
learn how Maximize the Power of Napping During Medical Residency Shifts.