Teamwork: Communication and Group
Communication is essential throughout our daily life, both in our personal life and professional life. Communication skills are vital when we are working towards a common goal as a part of a team (Kearney-Nunnery, 2008). By observing and evaluating yourself when in interaction with others, we can learn how to communicate effectively. Group work demonstrates our capacity to communicate effectively, share and reflect on our opinions, gain trust for group members, and resolve conflicts. A team can be defined as “a group of individuals who work together to produce products or deliver services for which they are mutually accountable (Tyrer, 2004).” Teamwork is described as “a dynamic process involving two or more [health professionals] with complimentary backgrounds and skills, sharing common [health] goals (...). This is accomplished through interdependent collaboration, open communication and shared decision-making (Ream & Xyrichis, 2007).” “Effective collaboration can lead to effective teamwork (Canadian Health Services Research Foundation).” One of the most commonly used methods to assess our performance is through writing a reflective evaluation. In this assignment, I have been asked to reflect on my communication patterns and experiences whilst working within a group.
This semester we were asked to work in small groups of 4 - 5 students to prepare a 20 minute information session on the ‘completion of documentation’, and perform a presentation in front of the class. In this assignment I will demonstrate my understanding of group dynamics and communication skills, reflect on my experience during the group activity, and briefly explain how the member contributions were divided up for the group presentation.
Team members are described as “having complementary skills, being committed to a common purpose and holding themselves accountable for their performance (Tyrer, 2004).” These descriptions make it clear that teams are about working together as a group, and each
This semester we were asked to work in small groups of 4 - 5 students to prepare a 20 minute information session on the ‘completion of documentation’, and perform a presentation in front of the class. In this assignment I will demonstrate my understanding of group dynamics and communication skills, reflect on my experience during the group activity, and briefly explain how the member contributions were divided up for the group presentation.
Team members are described as “having complementary skills, being committed to a common purpose and holding themselves accountable for their performance (Tyrer, 2004).” These descriptions make it clear that teams are about working together as a group, and each
References: Caldwell, K., Atwal, A., Copp, G., Brett-Richards, M., & Coleman, K. (2006). Preparing for practice: how well are practitioners prepared for teamwork. British Journal of Nursing, (15) 22, 1250-1254 Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. (June 2006). Teamwork in healthcare: Promoting effective teamwork in healthcare in Canada. Policy synthesis and recommendation. Retrieved October 13, 2010 From: Http://www.Chsrf.Ca/Research_Themes/Pdf/TeamworkSynthesisReport_ E.Pdf Kearney-Nunnery, R. (2008). Advancing your Career: Concepts of Professional Nursing (4th ed). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis. Tyrer, J. (2004). What lessons can we learn from effective teamwork? Nursing & Residential Care. 6 (2), 86-88 Xyrichis, A. & Ream, E. (2007). Teamwork: a concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing: Theoretical paper. 61, 232–241.