The Importance of Teamwork

Martha Williams, RN, MSHealth Sciences Instructor

Martin County ATC

What is Teamwork?

• Teamwork is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as "a joint action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of the group."

Why is Teamwork Important• Achieves Goals

• Increases Individual Learning

• Resolves Conflicts

• Promotes good Communication

• Overall improvement

• Businesses look for teamwork skills when employing.

Characteristics of Effective Teams

• The team must have a clear goal

• A Focus on achieving results

• A plan for reaching a goal

• Commitment to the goal

• Competent members

• Decision by consensus

Characteristics of Effective Teams

• Diversity among team members

• Effective communication skills

• High Standards of excellence

• Informal climate

• Openness to new ideas

• Periodic self-assessment

Characteristics of Effective Teams

• Recognition for team accomplishments

• Shared leadership

• Sufficient resources

Skills Involved when Working as a Team

• Team Meetings– Set the agenda by defining goals and desired

outcomes– Keep meeting on task– Brainstorm ideas– Resolve differences by consensus– Assign follow-up tasks and items– Evaluate the session and end on time

Skills Involved when Working as a Team

• Brainstorming to generate ideas– Define the problem or task– Document ideas– Set ground rules

• Treat all participants with respect

• All ideas have values

• No debate or discussion of ideas

Skills Involved when Working as a Team

• Reaching consensus - Consensus is a decision in which everyone participates and everyone can live with and support.– Develop criteria for the decision– Find areas of common agreement– Develop a consensus proposal– Ask for a show of consensus

Skills Involved when Working as a Team

• Conflict is acceptable if managed• Conflict is essential to critical thinking because

members must feel the freedom to differ• Manage constructively

– 1. Use ground rules

– 2. Acknowledge difference as they occur

– 3. Look for common ground and identify alternatives

– 4. Resolve quickly by consensus

Team Building Activities

• Teambuilding Activities - http://youth-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/team_building_activities_for_teens

• Teamwork Games - http://www.buzzle.com/articles/teamwork-games.html

• http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/Teamwork.htm

• http://www.buzzle.com/articles/team-building-activities-for-high-school-students.html

Health Science Events• Dental Spelling• Medical Spelling• Dental Terminology• Medical Terminology• Medical Math• Knowledge Tests

Concepts of Health Care

Human Growth and

Development

Pathophysiology

Pharmacology

Nutrition

Health Science Events• Dental Spelling• Medical Spelling• Dental Terminology• Medical Terminology• Medical Math• Knowledge Tests

Concepts of Health Care

Human Growth and

Development

Pathophysiology

Pharmacology

Nutrition

Health Professions Events• Biotechnology• Clinical Nursing• Clinical Specialty• Dental Assisting• Home Health Aide• Medical Assisting • Medical Laboratory Assisting• Nursing Assisting• Personal Care• Physical Therapy• Sports Medicine• Veterinary Assisting

Health Professions Events• Biotechnology• Clinical Nursing• Clinical Specialty• Dental Assisting• Home Health Aide• Medical Assisting • Medical Laboratory Assisting• Nursing Assisting• Personal Care• Physical Therapy• Sports Medicine• Veterinary Assisting

Team Leadership EventsTeam Leadership Events

• Community AwarenessCommunity Awareness

• Creative Problem SolvingCreative Problem Solving

• Forensic MedicineForensic Medicine

• HOSA BowlHOSA Bowl

• Parliamentary ProcedureParliamentary Procedure

• Career Health DisplayCareer Health Display

• Biomedical DebateBiomedical Debate

• Medical ReadingMedical Reading

• Health EducationHealth Education

• Public Service AnnouncementPublic Service Announcement

RecognitionRecognition

• Outstanding HOSA ChapterOutstanding HOSA Chapter

• Outstanding State LeaderOutstanding State Leader

• National Recognition ProgramNational Recognition Program

• Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Issues ExamIssues Exam

• National Service ProjectNational Service Project

• Barbara James Service AwardBarbara James Service Award

• Outstanding Alumni MemberOutstanding Alumni Member

• Chapter NewsletterChapter Newsletter

• HOSA WeekHOSA Week

Leadership EventsLeadership Events

• Extemporaneous Health Extemporaneous Health PosterPoster

• Extemporaneous SpeakingExtemporaneous Speaking

• Extemporaneous WritingExtemporaneous Writing

• Interviewing SkillsInterviewing Skills

• Job Seeking SkillsJob Seeking Skills

• Medical Photography Medical Photography

• Prepared SpeakingPrepared Speaking

• Researched Persuasive Researched Persuasive SpeakingSpeaking

• Speaking SkillsSpeaking Skills

Program of Work Activity

• Divide class into groups of 3-4

• Distribute copies of program of work planning sheet to each group

• Using the concepts of brainstorming and reaching consensus, plan a community service project to be added to the chapter’s Program of Work.