Abstract
BACKGROUND
Communication in healthcare teams is challenging, as they are mostly composed of professionals from different disciplines who need to work together to achieve positive and desirable patient outcomes. Interpersonal relationships are crucial for optimal and reflective professional nursing care. The joint collaboration and effort of all members of the healthcare team ensures quality and safe healthcare.
AIM
The aim of this study was to analyse the opinion of part-time healthcare students (N = 147) on the importance and role of the communication and interrelations in healthcare teams.
METHODS
We used a quantitative, descriptive, non-experimental method of empirical research. Data were collected with questionnaires. For statistical analysis we use Levene test, T- test and Pearson correlation coefficient using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 24.0. A statistical significance of p<0.05 was assumed.
RESULTS
The majority of respondents said that communication in the healthcare team is clear, respectful, empathetic and understandable. Subjectively, they assess that assertive communication prevails. They are cooperative with their colleagues and rarely encounter individual and organisational issues when communicating in the healthcare team. Respondents perceive that communication (p=0.02) and interpersonal relationships (p=0.01) are better in smaller healthcare teams than in larger teams. They also point out that good communication influences good interpersonal relations in health teams (p=<0.05).
CONCLUSION
In nursing, good communication and interpersonal skills help to meet patient needs. Individuals need to learn how to form these relationships with each other. Each member of the healthcare team needs to know where he or she stands in the team, what his or her tasks and responsibilities are and how he or she should work. The quality standards for teamwork promote the application of a process approach to developing, implementing and improving the effectiveness of the quality management system in the healthcare team, with the aim of increasing patient satisfaction by meeting patient expectations.