Patient Safety Education: Team Communication and Interprofessional Collaboration

Abstract

Team communication, teamwork, and interprofessional collaboration are critical and the basis for patient safety in a more diverse and complex clinical environment. This study explored the current status of teamwork, team communication, and interprofessionalism in the context of patient safety within undergraduate medical education. A scoping review of the literature published since 2010 was undertaken. Fifteen papers were included for final review. The most commonly used educational methods were off-line lectures and simulations. Standard team communication tools suggested in TeamSTEPPS (team strategies and tools to enhance performance patient safety) were covered in some of the research. Knowledge, skills, and teamwork attitudes, interprofessional collaboration, and/or patient safety were improved in most of the papers. In the previous studies of team communication, the content and method of education, and the change in knowledge and attitudes of the individuals have been widely reported, but more research is needed regarding the method of evaluating the teamwork itself. In addition, education on team communication as well as patient safety and interprofessionalism is lacking. As the importance of team communication in patient safety increases, more attention is needed on this topic in undergraduate medical education.