Connaughton Consulting

Creating the Ideal Environment for
Practice and Collaboration

Even the most talented and committed nursing teams can get off track. Sustained stress and intensity in clinical settings can cause some nurses to hunker down and reduce their commitment to their colleagues. The best teams recognize that they must periodically take stock of where they are in both their practice and in their collegial relationships. Are patients and families receiving the best we have to offer? Where do we need to improve? Are we known for having the most collaborative environment? Or have we fallen into bad habits in communication and team work that can adversely affect the care we deliver as well as job satisfaction, recruitment and retention?

This model is time tested with clinical teams in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Managers and staff alike give high marks for both the process and (more importantly) the significant improvements in practice and/or collaboration that occur. In an expertly facilitated safe environment staff and managers assess the effectiveness of their collaboration, often leading to a plan of action to strengthen communication and accountability across roles.