Delivering Safe and High-Quality Healthcare
For effective discharging of duties by health professionals which will, in turn, give a quality service to patients under their care, there is a need for effective inter-professional communication among personnel in a hospital environment. While territoriality concept within the sector is being adhered to, that, however, should not be a barrier to a fluid collaboration among health workers of different backgrounds. There is a need to formulate a working communication strategy to solve the lingering inter-professional problems in hospital environments generally, and particularly, in the emergency department. As important as it is, a look at inter-professional communication in emergency department shows a seemingly unfavorable situation among practitioners involved in this one of the most significant subsectors of health profession (Varjoshani1, Hosseini, Khankeh, & Ahmadi, 2014). Among other numerous issues in the department, this paper looks at the problem of boisterous atmosphere in the emergency department, explores the contributing barriers to the lingering issue, and formulates a working leadership strategy needed to bring a lasting solution to the problem.

Effective healthcare delivery in the emergency department will need a team of carefully-selected qualified personnel, which includes nurses, physicians, technicians, and nursing assistants. Just as it applies in every working environment, these inter-professional team members will need a highly committed team spirit to work successfully. Unfortunately, the rowdy atmosphere in the department has been a significant hindrance to effective inter-professional teamwork among these medical personnel. Varjoshani et al., (2014), highlighted the causes of the tumultuous environment to include overcrowded emergency; stressful emergency environment; ineffective management; and inefficient communication channels. For instance, an overcrowded emergency is a major information barrier which prevents effectual scientific data exchange between physicians and nurses, and in some cases, it causes frictions among the practitioners in the course of their duty. Apart from that, it usually leads to both physical and emotional stress for the personnel, which might in turn result in errors, overreactions, and other unprofessional conducts in the department. Record has it that among other departments in hospitals, the emergency department is where most medical errors occur (Varjoshani et al., 2014). Overcrowding, in this case, may be due to the critical condition of the patient, which will require many professionals to be present, or due to a high number of agitated family members present with the patient. Either way, the situation is a significant hindrance to efficient healthcare delivery. Regarding communication failure, this in most cases is responsible for role conflict, ambiguity, interpersonal power and conflict, and other inter-professional scuffles commonly witnessed in the health sector (Busari, et al., 2017). Studies have, however, traced the root of this to some factors which according to Morley & Cashell (2017), include “compensation schemes, professional practice regulation, institutional policies, and the physical environment factors which may be beyond the control of the team.”

To bring an end to these barriers responsible for an inadequate inter-professional working relationship in the sector, many studies have proffered solutions to help alleviate the effects of these barriers caused by the tumultuous atmosphere in the emergency department, and other issues the profession generally. One of the many recommendations, as suggested by Kessler, Cheng & Mullan (2014), was a debriefing after clinical events. Debriefing, which is a reflection process in the cycle of experiential learning, helps in ascertaining areas of optimal and suboptimal performance to determine and formulate schemes for improvement in subsequent performances. If well harnessed, it would improve the delivery in the emergency department and bring a permanent solution to the lingering scuffles in the department as every stakeholder will reflect on their past actions, and agree...…praising, encouraging and persuading them before, during and after every task.

Moreover, having suggested debriefing as a working method for the improvement of emergency department performance, I will organize a weekly meeting with my team members. This will be where we will all have the chance to reflect on each of our tasks for the week with the view to improve our quality of service to patients, and welfares of my members, as it takes motivated practitioners to have happy and satisfied patients. The debriefing moments will not be a time for blame but it will be absolutely a time of reflection (Kessler, 2014). This will be an opportunity for us to collectively identify our shortcomings, celebrate our achievements in the past week, and project a better approach for the tasks ahead. With this approach, I am actively leading my team by telling and motivating. However, delegation as an integral aspect of the situational leadership approach, will not be left out. As my team members are constantly encouraged, they will be moving up the follower developmental stages. This will allow me to confidently delegate tasks according to individual’s ability, while not relenting in supervising and motivating as appropriate.

In conclusion, there is a serious need to improve inter-professional collaboration in the healthcare sector. With the empirical evidence staring us in the face, it is glaring that theory based approaches will not bring an effective solution to the lingering problems affecting inter-professional efficiency in the health sector. There is a need for practical methodology in health sector generally and in the emergency department in particular. This practical solution is what the situational approach of leadership will adequately provide. It, therefore, becomes inevitable for leaders within the health sector to embrace this tested and trusted leadership style.

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