The clinical teams at Cooper’s Women’s and Children’s Institute (WCI) oversee pregnancies that range from low-risk to some of the most medically complicated in the region, with nationally recognized outcomes. Many different teams collaborate, at times under extremely stressful conditions, to achieve the best outcome, whether a pregnancy is progressing normally or is challenged by complex medical problems. Teamwork and communication are critical in these high-stakes clinical settings, and while our teams do wonderful work every day, there is always room for improvement. As part of their mission to improve mother and baby outcomes, and in alignment with Cooper’s status as a High Reliability Organization, Robin Perry MD, MSEd, FACOG, Chief and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Michael Goodman, MD, MMM, FAAP, FAES, Chief and Chair of Pediatrics; Pam Ladu, MBA, Vice President, Women’s and Children’s Institute; and Susan Cannon MSN, RN, CPN, NE-BC, AVP of Nursing Hospital Operations, have decided to implement the TeamSTEPPS program.
TeamSTEPPS is an evidence-based and validated system designed to improve communication and teamwork skills among health care professionals, particularly in multidisciplinary, high-acuity settings. Cooper has implemented the program in Labor and Delivery, the OB Triage Unit, the Maternal-Fetal Care Unit (MFCU), the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and the Maternal Infant Unit (MIU), representing nursing, ancillary personnel, advanced practice nurses and resident and attending physicians from Obstetrics, Anesthesiology, Neonatology, and Pediatrics.
Over the past three months, an implementation team led by Cooper’s Gunda Simpkins, RNC-OB, MSN, MPH, IBCLC, Advanced Clinical Program Manager, and Guy Hewlett, MD, Medical Director of Labor and Delivery, with support from unit clinical directors Bonnie Mannino, RN, BSN; Kathy Bloom, MSN, RN-BC; and Ruth Dileo, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, and assistance of volunteers from each unit, have taught TeamSTEPPS methodology to more than 200 nurses, physicians, and support staff across Cooper.
Team members can recognize colleagues who exemplify the TeamSTEPPS principles by gifting each other “rubies.” All ruby recipients will be entered into a weekly drawing on each unit, and winners will be entered into a raffle for a single monthly Ruby Award.
In the coming months, we will share updates in Weekly Rounds about TeamSTEPPS, the Ruby Award winners, and ways that you can participate.