5 Problem-Based Learning in a Healthcare Team
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Identify the roles that team members can play on a problem-based learning team.
- Explain the importance of roles to effective team functioning.
- Identify the steps involved in problem-based learning.
- Define the key vocabulary terms of the chapter.
Characteristics of High-Performance Teams
In healthcare, teamwork is essential to effective provision of care (American Heart Association, 2021, pg. 91- 92). High-performance teams are distinguished from other teams because their team members are all committed to ensuring the highest-quality performance of the team, rather than simply focusing on following orders. High-performance teams consider their overall purpose and goals, skills each team member possesses, appropriate motivation and efficacy, as well as appropriate communications between team members. High-performance teams also measure their performance and look for ways to improve. While this is true of Advanced Cardiac Life Support teams, these skills are just as important in collaborative learning teams.
Effective teamwork divides the tasks while multiplying the probability of successful outcomes. Each team member is not only responsible for performing their duties well, but also must demonstrate effective communication and team dynamics. This section discusses the importance of team roles, behaviors of effective team leaders and team members and the elements of effective high-performance team dynamics.
Roles in High-Performance Teams
Collaborative learning involves a group of individuals working together so that the group achieves optimal results. Research has also found that, by engaging in collaborative learning, team members generate a shared understanding of the information, build strong relationships with other team members, and develop the skills necessary to adapt in the work setting (Ormrod, 2018). But that assumes that the learning team is functioning properly. Research shows that when students are simply placed into team projects with no preparation or understanding of team roles, the entire team is ineffective because their team goals are unclear and conflict and unequal participation hinder success (Hansen, 2006). Mirroring the American Heart Association’s perspective on high-performance teams, Scannell (2012) states that high-performance teams usually exhibit an overall team purpose, mutual accountability, collective work products, shared leadership roles, high cohesiveness, collaboration in deciding task assignments and procedures, and collective assessment of their own success. Team members having specific roles is a key feature to the success of the team.
In this course, students will be allowed to determine which roles they are most comfortable taking in their collaborative learning team. The roles in this class can be divided into primary roles and secondary roles.
Primary Roles
The primary roles are the ones that the team needs to function. Without someone covering these roles, the goals cannot be achieved. The primary roles are:
Facilitator:
- Organizes the group.
- Keeps the group on task and verifies that all contribute.
- Creates group chat for everyone in the group.
- Also serves as Checker if needed.
Recorder:
- Responsible for recording the Four Columns Analysis for each meeting. This can be done on a Google Doc so that all members can contribute.
- Ensures that important thoughts expressed in the group are recorded.
- Ensures data from the learning team is uploaded to the appropriate Canvas Group assignments.
- Also serves as Reporter if needed.
Tech Guru:
- Schedules zoom meetings and provides link to the group.
- Hosts and records meeting audio/video.
- Uploads zoom recordings to Canvas group assignments.
- Also serves as Timekeeper if needed.
Secondary Roles
The secondary roles are those that help spread out the responsibility and provide support for the primary roles. The secondary roles are:
Reporter:
- Summarizes group consensus during team discussions.
- Shares summary of group with larger group/instructors.
- Speaks for the group, not just a personal view.
- Backs up the Recorder.
Timekeeper:
- Keeps track of time and reminds the group how much time is left during meetings.
- Sends out forms to assess availability and uses those to plan meeting dates & times.
- Shares final meeting times with Tech Guru.
- Backs up the Tech Guru.
Checker:
- Monitors individual performance of team members
- Checks for accuracy and clarity of thinking during meetings.
- Ensures worksheets and group assignments are filled out & turned in on time.
- Backs up the Facilitator.
Evidence-Based Practice and Interprofessional Teams
Evidence-based practice must be integrated across the health care team to provide high quality patient care. Collaborative interactions between health care providers from 2 or more disciplines is called interprofessional practice. When we engage in interprofessional practice, it is important that we understand both our role and the roles of the other practitioners on the team. Many times, as clinical and diagnostic professionals, we are not included in the interprofessional care team discussions, but our role is nonetheless critical. Medical imaging and clinical laboratory professionals conduct testing that provides the care team will essential evidence to shape the patient’s care, but they may not see the signs and symptoms that led to the study being requested or the way in which the testing results change the care plan. Respiratory therapy professionals are more frequently included on interprofessional teams, but may not see the precipitating factors leading up to the patient’s need for cardiopulmonary support.
Engaging in cooperative learning with the interprofessional team provides a mutual exchange of knowledge benefiting the team members, including the patient. Discussion of the clinical problem or dilemma with team members also provides you with different perspectives on the same issues.
The Problem-Based Learning Process
In a nutshell:
In a nutshell:
- Schedule a Team Meeting (Timekeeper schedules based on team feedback)
- Meet with your team on Zoom (Tech Guru records Zoom meeting and sends out the link ahead of time)
- During the meeting, read through the case scenario as a team and record important information and ideas on the “Four Columns Worksheet” as you discuss it. (Recorder puts a copy of the worksheet on Google docs and all team members contribute).
- Facilitator leads a discussion of the most important learning needs for your team. Checker makes sure everyone participates and asks questions when ideas don’t make sense (nicely, of course). Reporter summarizes group consensus for the team.
- Each team member selects a topic from the learning needs list you developed and creates a focused clinical question related to the topic.
- Recorder makes sure everyone has listed their focused clinical question at the bottom of the Four Columns Worksheet and turns the worksheet in to the group assignment link.
- Tech Guru uploads a link or file of the recorded Zoom meeting to the group assignment link.
- Checker makes sure the assignments got submitted correctly.
- All team members complete a team development survey and complete research to answer their focused clinical question. A 2-page MAX “handout” summarizing your research findings and how they apply to the case will be presented at next week’s team meeting and uploaded to the team discussion board.
- All team members will provide feedback with questions for clarification during the team meeting.
- Team members will revise their “handouts” based on the feedback and submit the revised handout at the end of week 2.
- Team members will all complete an open book, open note multiple choice exam over the disease process presented in the case to be submitted at the end of week 2.
Case Analysis – “Four Columns” Format
During the first Team Meeting:
- In Canvas, View/Read the case presentation. Download a copy of the Four Columns document.
- Meet with your team, in person or on Zoom. On the Four Columns document, have your team scribe for the day record your observations, ideas about what is going on, more information you would like to have about the patient, and things you need to know more about to effectively guide the patient. Highlight things you think are good major issues.
- Decide which learning issues are most important to your team. Identify one learning issue for each team member.
- As a Team, create Focused Clinical Questions questions from your learning issues. List those below your Four Column Analysis and identify which team member will research each question.
- Turn in a copy of your team’s Four Column Analysis to the Canvas Assignment link.
Issue Research and Handout Creation
Following the Team Meeting, each Member individually will:
- Perform the search for information that address all aspects of your question.
- Include 1 or more Filtered sources or an explanation of why Filtered sources are not included.
- Include 1 or more Unfiltered sources or an explanation of why Unfiltered sources are not included.
- Include 1 or more Background sources or an explanation of why Background sources are not included.
- A minimum of 3 sources should be used (even if you cannot find sources in all of the above categories).
- If the retrieved sources doesn’t fully answer your question, find additional sources that complete the answer. (Use the Ask a Librarian button if you are having trouble finding your answers.)
- Summarize your findings in a 2 pg. handout, posted to the discussion board. Handouts should include:
- A descriptive title identifying the learning issue addressed
- A brief review of the pertinent facts of the case (2 sentences Max)
- Your focused clinical question
- Post your summaries to the TEAM discussion board.
- Title your post with a descriptive title that indicates the learning issue you address in your handout.
Give feedback to at least 3 of your team members that asks clarifying questions and makes suggestions for improvement. Feedback should be posted by midnight on Saturday.
Make sure everyone on your team gets at least 2 comments, or the whole team loses points.
