How to Achieve Effective Teamwork in EMS
The use of teams leads to greater productivity, more effective use of resources, better decisions and problem solving.
Jim and Tom, in Ambulance 5, are dispatched by the sheriff’s department to the scene of an auto accident along with the Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Jim is driving and Tom is the crew paramedic and ambulance leader. The fire department arrives first and lets the ambulance crew know they have one individual injured due to a truck overturning on a gravel road. Tom asks the firefighters the extent of the injuries. The fire chief relates that the patient is complaining of neck and back pain; however, there appears to be no other injuries. Tom instructs the firefighters to stabilize the patient, including securing his neck with an emergency neck collar, placing the patient on a backboard and securing the patient to the backboard.
Jim and Tom arrive on scene approximately seven minutes after the call went out, just as firefighters finish placing the patient on the backboard. Tom begins checking the patient’s airway, breathing and circulation, and assesses all vital signs. Jim palpates the patient starting with the head and working down to the feet. So far there’s no bleeding and the only major injuries identified are pain in the neck and back. With the assistance of firefighters the patient is loaded into the ambulance. Tom thanks the firefighters and he and Jim begin the patient transport to the hospital. The patient’s vitals are checked every five minutes and the hospital is informed of the patient’s neck and back pain. Tom also applies the appropriate pain medication. Jim and Tom arrive at the hospital and provide a brief description of the accident and the patient’s complaints, including neck and back pain.
After an hour at the hospital the hospital staff let Jim and Tom know that everything is going well and there are no major injuries. The hospital thanks the ambulance crew for their outstanding work. As usual, Jim and Tom worked well together and did everything they could to ensure appropriate patient care. Teamwork and leadership were vital to ensuring success.
Defining Teamwork in EMS
Teams are defined as two or more individuals who interact and coordinate their EMS work to accomplish a shared goal or purpose. Teams are EMS organizational groups composed of individuals or members of the team who share common goals and who coordinate their activities to accomplish the goals and response requirements. Additionally, the EMS team shares mission requirements and collective responsibilities.
Research on the effectiveness of organizational teams has suggested that the use of teams leads to greater productivity, more effective use of resources, better decisions and problem solving, better services, and increased innovation and creativity.1 In an EMS team, leadership is shared between individuals of the crew to ensure effective response to critical EMS-related situations.
Further research data from numerous teams show that effective leaders keep the team focused on the goals.2 Additionally, trust is based on honesty, openness, consistency and respect, which is essential to building a collaborative climate so EMS team members can stay focused, be open with one another, listen to each other, feel free to take appropriate risks and be willing to compensate for each other.
The team leadership model has three aspects3. The first decision for EMS leaders should be whether specific actions are the most appropriate to ensure the success of the team. The second strategic decision facing EMS leaders involves determining which team needs must be addressed to ensure tasks are accomplished so that team dynamics aren’t negatively affected. The third decision for EMS leaders is determining the most appropriate function or skill required to address performance in all emergency situations.
Team development is very important to ensure successful EMS response and treatment of patients. It goes through four distinct stages: forming, storming, norming and performing.4 These stages are very important to establishing a productive response team.
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