Expert teams will outperform expert individuals every time. Our team training focuses on identification of how teams of medical practitioners work together and interact with each other in an emergent situation. In many facilities, a hierarchy mentality, inadequate staffing, and lack of acceptance of protocols by staff influence how teams work together. Primary factors contributing to errors include failure to (a) cross-monitor the actions of team members, (b) identify an established protocol to be used, (c) develop the plan of care, and (d) prioritize tasks for a patient.

When designing team training for high-risk environments, the basic principles of teamwork training, adopted from the aviation industry, are applied. These principles offer an organizing framework for sequential, multi-actor actions, where many actors must rapidly execute integrated actions in the proper sequence to prevent serious harm. Characteristics of high reliability teams include (a) safety as the hallmark of culture, (b) teamwork, (c) a focus on effective nonhierarchical communication, (d) preparedness for the unexpected, (e) interdisciplinary review of near misses and adverse outcomes, and (f) leadership support.

The intent of our teamwork skill training is to enhance safety, reliability and quality. It provides opportunities for the recognition of near misses before they unfold into serious errors causing harm, and to improve communication between providers. Participants learn the concepts and behaviors necessary to (a) establish and maintain team structure and climate, (b) plan and solve problems, (c) communicate, (d) manage workload, (e) coach team skills, and (f) plan the implementation to ensure ongoing use.

Although programs to strengthen teamwork are recommended by accrediting and professional organizations, plans for successful integration of these programs have not been standardized. Institutions and individual units have their own cultures, climates, management, and staff, and implementation of a new team training approach must take this individuality into account.

Working with clients, we translates their stories, “from the front lines,” into training scenarios. We transform variables into training that simulates real-world problems and challenges.