Exploring Trauma Room Communication Using Teamstepps Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire

Abstract

Background. Trauma is the leading cause of death for individuals under the age of 45. The trauma room is a multidisciplinary environment that runs on a high level of complexity. Breakdowns in communication between physicians and nurses have been identified as a leading cause of sentinel events within hospitals. Within the complex and chaotic environment of the trauma room, effective communication faces many barriers. Objective. The aims of this study were 1) identify nurses’ perception of effective communication within the trauma room, 2) identify nurses’ perception of ineffective communication within the trauma room, and 3) determine the utilization of the EHR during a trauma event. By identifying these perceptions, future changes to communication will be developed and designed to have a higher chance of successful implementation in the future. Methods. This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design with a randomly selected geographically dispersed sample throughout the United States. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected using the T-TAQ questionnaire and questions asking nurses to identify both effective and ineffective communication and EHR utilization in the trauma room. Data was analyzed using SPSS Statistical Software and NVivo qualitative data analysis software. Outcomes. 237 thematic units were identified from the data on ineffective communication in the trauma room. Ten themes emerged; the top six encompassed more than 95% of the thematic units. 267 thematic units were identified in the data on effective communication in the trauma room. Ten themes emerged; the top six themes accounted for 89% of units contributing to poor communication in the trauma room. Over 60% of participants stated, they document care of the trauma patient in the EHR in real-time. 33.7% of all participants still use the paper documentation, and 12.7% do not document any of the trauma care in an EHR.