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Team Training

Background

"Formalized, structured learning experience[s] with preset objectives and curriculum that target specific team competencies" (Lacerenza et al., 2018, p. 519).

 Team training is a general term for an intervention that enhances team competencies.

Signs that a team could benefit from team training include issues with communication, coordination, or teamwork skills in general. Other signs include a lack of shared mental models, decreased efficiency, and a rise in errors on the job.

  • Lacerenza, C. N., Marlow, S. L., Tannenbaum, S. I., & Salas, E. (2018). Team development interventions: Evidence-based approaches for improving teamwork. American Psychologist, 73(4), 517–531. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/amp0000295

Relevant Readings

  • Eppich, W., Howard, V., Vozenilek, J., & Curran, I. (2011). Simulation-based team training in healthcare. Simulation in Healthcare: The Journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, 6(7), S14–S19. https://doi.org/10.1097/SIH.0b013e318229f550
    • Eppich et al. (2011) explore simulation-based team training in healthcare. They argue for a more rigorous approach to SBTT design, implementation, and evaluation, drawing insights from other disciplines with sophisticated models of teamwork. They highlight best practices, explore validated concepts from other fields, and identify promising areas for future research.
  • Forse, R. A., Bramble, J. D., & McQuillan, R. (2011). Team training can improve operating room performance. Surgery, 150(4), 771–778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2011.07.076
    • Forse et al. (2011) evaluate whether a program called “TeamSTEPPS” improves operating room performance and culture. The training occurs over two months with the OR staff. They measure teamwork, communications, first case starts, patient satisfaction, surgical quality, morbidity and mortality.
  • Salas, E., Diaz Granados, D., Klein, C., Burke, C. S., Stagl, K. C., Goodwin, G. F., & Halpin, S. M. (2008). Does team training improve team performance? A meta-analysis. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 50(6), 903–933. https://doi.org/10.1518/001872008X375009
    • Salas et al. (2008) investigate the effectiveness of team training on team performance. They examine whether team training improves team outcomes and explore specific relationships between team training and cognitive, affective, behavioral, and performance outcomes. They also investigate moderators such as training content (taskwork vs. teamwork), team membership stability, and team size to identify conditions under which team training is most effective.
  • Salas, E., Nichols, D. R., & Driskell, J. E. (2007). Testing three team training strategies in intact teams: A meta-analysis. Small Group Research, 38(4), 471–488. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496407304332
    • In this meta-analysis Salas, Nichols, and Driskell (2007) investigate the effectiveness of different team training strategies on team performance. Specifically, they examine the impact of cross-training, team coordination and adaptation training, and guided team self-correction training.
  • Weaver, S. J., Dy, S. M., & Rosen, M. A. (2014). Team-training in healthcare: A narrative synthesis of the literature. BMJ Quality & Safety, 23(5), 359–372. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2013-001848
    • Weaver and Rosen (2014) analyze studies published between 2000 and 2012, looking at the impact of team-training on teamwork behaviors, clinical processes, and patient results.