Perceptions of teamwork during resuscitation among emergency department clinicians: A qualitative study

Abstract Introduction Teamwork is an essential element in resuscitation and is associated with patients' survival in emergency departments (EDs). Although current resuscitation training programs introduce teamwork training in the curriculum, little is known about how teamwork is enacted among ED clinicians in real clinical practice. The objective of this study is to explore the perceptions of teamwork during resuscitation among clinicians working in EDs. Method A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 15 doctors and nurses working in two EDs in Hong Kong. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted to solicit their views about how teamwork was carried out, along with any perceived facilitators and barriers related to teamwork during resuscitation. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the interview data. Results Five themes were identified: (1) the nature of effective leadership, (2) effective communication during resuscitation, (3) coordination of the resuscitation, (4) challenges to effective teamwork during resuscitation, and ( 5) strategies to improve team performance. Participants considered that leaders always put the best interests of patients first, are knowledgeable, and are calm. Tactics in communication skills are highly integrated into daily practice. If care is well coordinated, positive impacts on patients' outcomes follow. Participants also mentioned that they lacked exposure to real resuscitation, had competitive service needs, and saw the negative emotions of team members as potential barriers to effective teamwork. To improve teamwork, building a team culture in the workplace is foundational to promoting teamwork practice during resuscitation. Conclusion This study highlights different dimensions of teamwork during resuscitation and potential enablers to build teamwork to enhance resuscitation performance.