Team-Tested Practices

• Using key phrases in malnutrition assessment to catch the attention of physicians
• Bolding their recommendations in notes to doctors
• Speaking directly to physicians about potentially malnourished patients

What can your team do to improve cooperation between physicians and other members of the care team?

• Coordinating transport times with other departments, and ensuring labs and meds are ready
• Ordering new, wider and more accessible chairs to make it easier to move patients
• Creating a new and dedicated transporter position to faciliate trips

What can your team do to work effectively with other teams? What else could your team do to better understand patients' needs? 

• Communicating with the team
• Asking how the team prefers to communicate or meet
• Allowing team members to earn rewards for attendance

What can your team do to improve communication among its members? 

• Pairing a nurse with a buddy to help with patient response
• Designating backups to the buddies
• Communicating with the appropriate nurse the patient’s needs

What can your team do to allocate staff time and attention effectively and strategically? 

• Creating a daily stretching routine, and discussing work safety on a regular basis
• Discussing proper lifting and pushing techniques, and also the proper use of equipment
• Posting safe-driving and other safety awareness tips, and highlighting the number of injury-free days

What can your team do to reduce injuries and keep one another safe on the job? 

• Identifying workplace hazards
• Encouraging discussions about safety
• Promoting safety awareness programs or initiatives

What can your team do prevent injuries before they happen? 

• Identifying asthmatic patients, who haven’t processed refills
• Contacting in groups of five each week until every patient has been reached
• Communicating the benefits of inhaled corticosteroids

What can your team do to proactively reach out to patients to help them manage their chronic conditions? 

• Coordinating with other departments, like emergency and transportation
• Spreading out requests in regular 15-minute intervals
• Meeting regularly to make adjustments

 What can your team do to work with other departments to improve patients' experiences? 

• Creating a rewards and recognition program for perfect attendance
• Educating and coaching staff about attendance, improving communication and rebuilding trust
• Creating flexible schedules, approving last-minute vacation requests and working to raise morale

What can your team do to reward and recognize one another? 

• Setting up designated bins in operating rooms for blue wrap recycling
• Educating staff about the dos and don’ts of the bins, such as no infectious or solid waste
• Coordinating with a local charity such as Goodwill to help with processing

What can your team do to "go green"? What else could your team do to reduce waste?