Effectiveness of the Huddles in Improving the Patient Safety Attitudes Among Clinical Team Members

Yi-Hung Lai; Ching-Wein Chang; Ming-Ju Wu; Hsin-Hua Chen; Shih-Ping Lin; Chun-Shih Chin; Cheng-Hsien Lin; Sz-Iuan Shiu; Chun-Yi Wu; Ying-Cheng Lin; Hui-Chi Chen; Shu-Chin Hou; Hung-Ru Lin

doi:10.1097/QMH.0000000000000455

Effectiveness of the Huddles in Improving the Patient Safety Attitudes Among Clinical Team Members

Qual Manag Health Care. 2024 Mar 25. doi: 10.1097/QMH.0000000000000455. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yi-Hung Lai¹, Ching-Wein Chang, Ming-Ju Wu, Hsin-Hua Chen, Shih-Ping Lin, Chun-Shih Chin, Cheng-Hsien Lin, Sz-Iuan Shiu, Chun-Yi Wu, Ying-Cheng Lin, Hui-Chi Chen, Shu-Chin Hou, Hung-Ru Lin

Affiliation

¹ Author Affiliations: National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei (Ms Lai and Dr H.-R. Lin); School of Nursing (Mss Lai, Chang, H.-C. Chen, and Hou) and Divisions of Nephrology (Drs M.-J. Wu and C.-Y. Wu), Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology (Dr H.-H. Chen), Infection (Dr S.-P. Lin), Chest Medicine (Dr Chin), Hematology and Oncology (Dr C.-H. Lin), and Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Dr Shiu and Y.-C. Lin), Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.

PMID: 38530766
DOI: 10.1097/QMH.0000000000000455

Abstract

Background and objectives: Huddles among members of interdisciplinary medical teams involve short stand-up sessions and allow team members to focus on existing or emerging patient safety issues, thereby facilitating team communication. Hospital managers are able to recognize the current situation of the organization through patient safety attitudes, strengthen team members' awareness of patient safety, and improve the quality of health care. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of huddles on improving team members' attitudes toward patient safety.

Methods: We used a quasi-experimental design and selected 2 adult wards with similar properties as the experimental and comparison groups by convenience sampling. Data collection was from December 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, at a teaching hospital in central Taiwan. Team members of the ward performing huddles formed the experimental group, and they participated 2 times per week in 15-minute huddles from 8:15 to 8:30 am for a total of 4 weeks. The comparison group adopted the routine team care process. Both groups completed the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire during the pre- and post-tests of the study.

Results: The experimental group scored significantly higher in the post-test than in the pre-test in all aspects of safety attitudes, with the exception of stress recognition. These improved aspects were teamwork climate (76.47 ± 15.90 vs 83.29 ± 13.52, P < .001), safety climate (75.94 ± 16.14 vs 82.81 ± 13.74, P < .001), job satisfaction (74.34 ± 20.22 vs 84.40 ± 17.22, P <.001), perceptions of management (78.02 ± 19.99 vs 85.51 ± 15.97, P < .001), and working conditions (78.85 ± 17.87 vs 86.81 ± 14.74, P < .001).

Conclusion: Through the huddles, clinical team members improved their understanding of different aspects of safety attitudes. Such a study provided ward units with real-time improvement and adjustment in terms of patient safety during their medical work processes with better patient safety.