Team learning and team composition in nursing

Abstract

Purpose -This study aims to explore team learning activities in nursing teams and to test the effect of team composition on team learning to extend conceptually an initial model of team learning and to examine empirically a new model of ambidextrous team learning in nursing. Design/methodology/approach -Quantitative research utilising exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and correlation and multiple regression analyses, were used for empirical validation. Findings -Principal component analyses of the team learning activities scale revealed a five-factor model, explaining 78 per cent of the variance on the team-learning scale. Being a nursing team in a community hospital, having high team longevity, and having a high percentage of female nurses explained 33 per cent of team learning. Research limitations/implications -Data aggregation in a cross-sectional design can be criticised for potential biases. However, statistical assumptions for aggregation were met, and the concepts used in this study were clearly formulated at team level. Thus, a valuable instrument is provided for further quantitative research on team learning in nursing. Practical implications -The team learning activities in nursing teams reflected the ambidexterity of teams in modern nursing practice. The findings provide a rationale for managers to create infrastructures that support both productive, as well as developmental learning tasks in teams. Originality/value -The study provides new insights regarding how team learning activities occur in ambidextrous teams in nursing. Contrary to prediction, the results show that team composition has little effect on team learning activities. This is valuable knowledge for researchers, trainers, teams and management in nursing.

Team learning and innovation in nursing teams: Results of a comprehensive research project

“…Statistics were generated to summarize team learning, team composition, contextual and implementationeffectiveness variables. In congruence with the systems approach to contingency theory, the fit was analysed using correlation and multiple regression analyses [38,39] . Relationships between variables were explored using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient [38] .…”

Enabling team learning in healthcare

“…Learning within teams has been seen as particularly important by a number of researchers, including Senge (1990, 10) Zellmer-Bruhn and Gibson 2006), but it is more common to define it in terms of processes (e.g. Boak 2014;Bucic, Robinson, and Ramburuth 2010;Fisser and Browaeys 2010;Gibson and Vermeulen 2003;Savelsbergh, van der Heijden, and Poell 2010;Timmermans et al 2011). For example, Edmondson (2002, 129) defines team learning as 'a process in which a team takes action, obtains and reflects upon feedback, and makes changes to adapt or improve'.…”

“…Some studies have identified structural factors within the team as supportive of team learning, including member familiarity (He, Butler, and King, 2007), team stability (Edmondson 2003;Timmermans et al 2011) and interpersonal trust between team members (Akgun et al 2013;Gibson and Vermeulen 2003).…”

Team learning and service improvements in health care

“…For example, Fisser and Browaeys (2010), Van den Bossche et al (2006), Van der Vegt andBunderson (2005), Van Offenbeek (2001), Van Woerkom andCroon (2009), Wilson et al (2007) and Timmermans et al (2011) focus on information management, interpretation and dialogue as the core activities of team learning.…”

“…Research settings include surgical teams (Edmondson et al, 2001;Vashdi et al, 2013), the pharmaceutical and medical sector (Gibson and Vermeulen, 2003) teams of college students (Sessa et al, 2011;Van Offenbeeck, 2001) the oil and gas industry (Van der Vegt and Bunderson, 2005) and police and fire services (Boon, 2013). Researchers are, on the whole, interested in influences on work team performance, or more specifically the impact of team learning on team performance, (Chan et al, 2003;Edmondson, 1999;Edmondson, 2002;Savelsbergh et al, 2010;Zellmer-Bruhn and Gibson, 2006).and the factors within the team or in its environment that are conducive to team learning (Boon et al, 2013;Bucic et al, 2010;Edmondson et al, 2001;Timmermans et al, 2011).…”