Resuscitation Team Members ‘Experiences of Teamwork: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: Despite the obvious importance of teamwork in emergency care, the dimensions of teamwork in resuscitation remain a subject of debate among specialists and researchers. The aim of this study was to identify the dimensions of teamwork based on the experiences of members of the resuscitation team. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted between March 2020 and April 2021. By purposive sampling, participants were selected. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced emergency nurses and emergency medicine residents individually and analysed through deductive content analysis by using the Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) model. Interviews were encoded for analysis using MAXQDA software (version 2020). RESULTS: Three main categories were identified around teamwork in resuscitation. These categories were as follows (1) leadership, (2) teamwork, and (3) essential prerequisites for resuscitation. The main leadership category consisted of three sub-categories of time management, resource allocation, and task management. From sub-categories, situation monitoring, communication, and mutual support, the main category of teamwork emerged. Also, the emerging category of essential prerequisites for regeneration included two generic categories: professional requirements and workplace requirements and the teamwork category included situation monitoring, communication, and mutual support. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the experiences of the resuscitation team members, leadership, teamwork, and essential prerequisites for resuscitation are the most important dimensions of teamwork in resuscitation. Recognizing the dimensions of teamwork in resuscitation is an initial step and then should be reflected in educational programs and future guidelines.