PurposeThe purpose was to present a developed, tested and evaluated methodology for assessing teamwork and sustainable quality culture, focusing on top management teams (TMTs).Design/methodology/approachThe developed methodology was based on a convergent mixed-method design, including two data collection methods: questionnaire and focus group discussion. Two pilot tests were performed with two TMTs. This design involved analysing, merging and interpreting data, first separately by data collection method and theme and then in a meta-interpretation. Lastly, there was a follow-up meeting for evaluating results.FindingsFindings from the study were that the methodology can be used to assess teamwork and sustainable quality culture, and the results also showed the strength of using two data collection methods to provide a broader picture of teamwork and sustainable quality culture. A follow-up meeting validated the results and provided additional value to the two TMTs in the form of suggestions on how to improve their teamwork and sustainable quality culture.Practical implicationsApplying this methodology can guide TMTs in how to improve their teamwork and sustainable quality culture within their organisations.Originality/valueThis is a new methodology, containing a developed questionnaire and an interview guide, aiming to assess and evaluate teamwork within TMTs and sustainable quality culture. The practice of the methodology adds value to both TMTs and their organisations, as well as provides a theoretical and methodological contribution to research on teamwork and sustainable quality culture.

Purpose Team collaboration is essential to ensure the quality of care and patient safety when critically ill patients are transferred from an intensive care unit (ICU) to a general ward. Measuring team collaboration in the patient transfer process can help gain insights into how team collaboration is perceived and how it can be improved. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and testing of a questionnaire aiming to measure perceived team collaboration in the patient transfer process from ICU to the general ward. This study also aims to analyze the results to see how the survey could help improve team collaboration within ICU transitional care. Design/methodology/approach Statements, factors and main areas intended to measure perceived team collaboration were developed from a theory. The questionnaire was tested in two ICUs at two hospitals located in Sweden, and the results were analyzed statistically. Findings The results showed that the questionnaire could be used for measuring perceived team collaboration in this process. The results from the survey gave insights that can be useful when improving team collaboration in ICU transitional care. Research limitations/implications The collaboration between two research subjects, Nursing Science and Quality Management, has given new perspectives in how cultural and systemic differences and opportunities can help improving team collaboration in ICU transitional care, by shifting focus from the individual to team, culture, system, process and continuous improvement. Practical implications The developed questionnaire can be used to measure perceived team collaboration and to identify areas for improving team collaboration in the ICU transitional care process. Originality/value There is a sparse amount of research about measuring team collaboration in ICU transitional care, and this study contributes to filling this research gap.

Purpose The purpose of this literature review was to explore to what extent quality management (QM) and nursing science offer complementary perspectives to provide better quality care, by looking at QM core concepts and tools. Design/methodology/approach A systematic literature review was conducted. Papers published in academic journals between January 2013 and December 2019 were included. A deductive content analysis was chosen using QM core values as an analytical framework. Findings The results showed that QM core values, methodologies and tools were found in the reviewed articles about intensive care unit (ICU) transitional care. The results indicated that core values in QM and the core competencies within nursing science in ICU transitional care are mutually dependent upon each other and exist as a whole. ICU transitional care is, however, a complex interpersonal process, characterized by differences in organizational cultures and core values and involving multidisciplinary teams that collaborate across hospital units. The QM core value that was least observed was committed leadership. Research limitations/implications Combining QM and nursing science can contribute to a deeper understanding of how to improve the ICU transitional care process by bringing complementary perspectives. Practical implications The included articles portray how QM is applied in ICU transitional care. Implications for future research focus on enhancing the understanding of how QM and nursing science can bring complementary perspectives in order to improve ICU transitional care and how QM values, methodologies and tools can be used in ICU transitional care. Committed leadership and team collaboration in ICU transitional care are areas that call for further research. Originality/value The findings contribute to the body of literature by providing important insights in terms of how QM core values, methodologies and tools are present in research about ICU transitional care and how the two research subjects, namely, QM and nursing science, bring complementary perspectives.

Purpose: The purpose was twofold: first to describe how co-workers within a team perceived team collaboration in patient transfers from an intensive care unit (ICU) to general wards and, second, to describe co-workers’ suggestions for an improved future state of team collaboration. Methodology/Approach: Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted at two medium-sized hospitals located in Sweden. Participants were multidisciplinary and from both ICUs and general wards. Data were analysed using qualitative deductive content analysis. Findings: An expressed need for improving team collaboration was a defined and well-designed ICU transitional care process with a holistic view of how to create quality of care, and a standardised process for continuous improvements. This should involve co-workers from different professions and hospital units, as well as patients and relatives. Other views raised by the co-workers were clearer definitions of roles, responsibilities and deeper insights on how team members depend on each other’s work efforts to succeed. Research Limitation/Implication: This study was conducted at two hospitals, hence no generalizable conclusions can be made. Originality/Value of paper: Co-workers collaborating in a ICU transitional care process can have important insights in how to improve team collaboration. This can be of great importance in increasing quality of care where multiprofessional teams from different organisational cultures are collaborating.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to develop a model describing different factors that affect quality and efficiency in transitional care.Design/methodology/approachA meta-synthesis focusing on the transitions between wards was conducted within a research project. The results from eight studies within that research project have been combined and analysed from a holistic view.FindingsThe findings are a model with a description of seven different categories consisting of the identified factors affecting quality and efficiency in transitional care. Those categories are (1) learning organisation, (2) standardising and structuring, (3) applying a holistic view, (4) understanding organisational culture in a health care context, (5) management and leadership, (6) for whom value is created and (7) working together. The results from the study have been verified in previous research.Research limitations/implicationsThe result of the completed meta-synthesis is based on studies conducted at two medium-sized hospitals in Sweden. The developed model can be used in a similar context to improve quality and efficiency in patient transfers by management and employees working based on the various factors.Originality/valueThis model describes factors (success factors, prerequisites, conditions and lack thereof) affecting the ability to achieve quality and efficiency in transitional care that can be used in future research as well as for practical improvements.