Teamwork and communication in clinical practice improves with simulation using the TeamSTEPPS program. However, there is limited research about simulation efficacy for improving neonatal resuscitation through enhanced communication. Based on a needs assessment and literature review specific to quality improvement strategies for neonatal resuscitation, an enhanced neonatal resuscitation provider (NRP) course was infused with TeamSTEPPS communication strategies, and an NRP case was adopted for simulation training. Also, utilizing clinician feedback, the flow of the resuscitation documentation was revised. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the perceived level of confidence, satisfaction, and communication skills in nurses performing neonatal resuscitation following the implementation of simulation into NRP training. The simulation exercise was guided by the National League for Nursing / Jeffries Simulation Framework (NLN/JFS). A purposeful sample of nurses (N=61) in a tertiary hospital volunteered to participate in the training and simulation exercise. Demographic information was collected and the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale was used in a nonrandomized descriptive evaluation with a posttest one-group design. The analysis found 49% of the nurses were confident in their resuscitation skills, 50% were satisfied with the simulation experience, and 47% reported communication needed to be improved for an effective resuscitation process. This project contributes to social change by demonstrating enhanced NRP training within a simulated environment results in the integration of communication and teamwork skills essential to improve the process of neonatal resuscitation.

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Charles E. Heerman / As the world has changed over the last century, so has the world of work. Today’s knowledge workers have fewer individual repetitive tasks, more autonomy, and more need to work with and through people at every level of an organization (Overtoom, 2000). As a result of the ‘flattening’ of the organizational hierarchy, it is critical that employees at all levels are proficient in soft skills. Recent studies indicate that employers consistently rate these skills as deficient in their incoming hires. Skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership and adaptability are commonly ranked as deficient. Academic leadership education strongly emphasizes this valuable skill set often referred to as soft skills. This study examined the relationship of the soft skills gained to the amount of leadership education completed by Fort Hays State University graduates using the Teamwork Skills Questionnaire (O’Neil, Lee, Wang & Mulkey, 1999). Those who received no leadership education from the FHSU Department of Leadership Studies were compared with those who received a leadership certificate and those who received a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership. The study provided insight into whether academic leadership education enhances graduate’s soft skill development and to assess the impact this has on their perception of teamwork proficiency in the workplace. Results indicate that the leadership certificate does not significantly change soft skill development in graduates’ self-reported perceptions, as compared to students with no leadership coursework. It was found that the bachelor’s degree does make limited significant changes in graduates’ soft skill proficiency as compared with graduates who received the leadership certificate. Multiple significant changes were found in graduates with bachelor’s degrees as compared with graduates who received no leadership coursework. Recommendations to be considered when conducting further research include the use of qualitative methodology, the inclusion of more universities that offer a degree in Organizational Leadership, and the measurement of other skills the leadership coursework may produce but was not reflected in this instrument.

Darbo tikslas. Įvertinti darbo komandoje įgūdžius ir jų tobulinimo galimybes tarp visuomenės sveikatos priežiūros specialistų. Tyrimo metodika. Tyrimas buvo vykdomas Kauno visuomenės sveikatos centre (KVSC) ir KVSC teritoriniuose skyriuose 2007 m. gruodžio mėnesį. Tyrimui buvo naudojama anoniminė anketa į kurią be specialių klausimų buvo įtraukti ir užsienyje šiai problematikai tirti plačiai naudojami klausimynai (The Thomas – Kilmann conflict mode instrument, DISC behavioral instrument). Analizei buvo naudotos 133 anketos (atsako dažnis 80,1 proc.). Rezultatai. Tyrimo metu nustatyta, kad 46,9 proc. KVSC ir 62,9 proc. KVSC teritorinių skyri�� specialistų linkę dominuoti bendraujant su savo komandos nariais. Daugiau negu pusė (52,0 proc.) KVSC ir (54,3 proc.) KVSC teritorinių skyrių specialistų spręsti konfliktus yra linkę ieškant kompromisų. Mažiausią respondentų dalį sudarė tiriamieji, kurie konfliktus yra linkę spręsti konkuravimo būdu, tarp jų ir buvo nustatyti statistiškai reikšmingi skirtumai, KVSC dirbantys specialistai yra labiau linkę konkuruoti, negu, kad dirbantys KVSC teritoriniuose skyriuose (p<0,001). Dauguma (78,2 proc.) respondentų teigė, kad jie turi pakankamai darbui komandoje reikalingų įgūdžių, tačiau daugiau negu pusė visų tiriamųjų norėtų juos tobulinti. Išvados. Daugiau negu pusė tyrime dalyvavusių specialistų bendraujant yra linkę dominuoti, mažiausiai – būti iniciatyviais. Sprendžiant konfliktus specialistai yra linkę ieškoti kompromisų susidariusiai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim of the study. To evaluate the skills of team work and possibilities for their improvement among public health specialists. Methods. The survey was carried in Kaunas Public Health Center in 2007. The questionnaire was designed and included questions about general skills for teamwork and special scales for evaluation of these skills (The Thomas – Kilmann conflict mode instrument, DISC behavioral instrument. Total number of returned questionnaires was 133 (a response rate of 80,1%). Results. Almost a half (46.9%) of PHCK and 62.9% of PHCK territorial departments specialists intended to dominate in communication with the members of a team. Moreover, 52.0% of PHCK and 54.3% of PHCK territorial departments specialists, were subjecs to look for compromises when dealing with the conflicts. The smalest part of respondents intecend to compeat when dealing with the conflicts, and statistically significant differences were estimated among them, specialists working in PHCK are subject to competition more than working in the territorial departments of PHCK (p<0.001). Results indicates, that 78.2% of respondents had skills for teamwork. However, more than half of them expressed the will to improve them. Conclusions. More than a half of specialists intended to dominate in communication with the members of a team, and the least characteristic – initiation. Respondents were likely to look for compromises in conflicts, and meanwhile only a small part for competition. Nevertheless... [to full text]

abstract: Individual and group accountability is an important part of productive group work. However, classroom evaluation of teamwork often relies on top-down assessment of group product by the teacher. Other methods include averaging group grades, group discussions, evaluative essays and random selection and application of one member's grade to the entire team. In contrast, the Teamwork Skills Inventory (TSI) developed by Strom and Strom provides assessment of individual conduct and contributions as observed by peers. The instrument also affords students with the opportunity to judge their own performance. Team members are responsible for their own behavior and skill development but are not held accountable for the actions taken by others. The TSI provides criteria for productive teamwork skills and behaviors. Students know in advance the criteria by which they and their teammates will judge each other's behavior skills. In turn, students have the opportunity to practice self-evaluation as they apply the same criteria to assess their own conduct. Self-evaluation compared with peer-evaluation provides support for confidence in behavioral strengths and can guide goal setting in areas where skills are weak and need adjustment. The TSI gives teachers an insider's view of group dynamics: the obstacles and benefits groups may encounter. Since team members have the vantage point of close interaction with peers they are more likely to know how individuals affect the thinking of others in a group. This frees teachers from the difficult task of judging group dynamics. TSI results can guide teachers in developing lessons that address the needs of individuals and groups. Data derived from the TSI can help schools provide for the needs of subgroups, such as special education and gifted classes. It can also help schools detect in-service needs for faculty and provide schools with a method of community accountability for use with cooperative learning methods and social skill achievement. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Educational Psychology 2010